A Tradition Losing Popularity

Photo: STAR

A bull-fight held by the Brahmaputra river near Mymensingh town on April 16 created much excitement among the huge audience. Barsho Boron Udjapon Parshad organised the programme.
A total of 16 bulls were brought for the fight from Durgapur and Kendua (in Netrokona), Iswarganj, Nandail, Gouripur, and Phulpur (in Mymensingh).
People in thousands, including a good number of women, thronged the venue to enjoy the bull-fight, a traditional form of entertainment -- now not getting much exposure.
Fazlu from Nandail, owner of a winning bull said, “We actually participate in various occasions. Prizes do not matter.”
Habu Miah from Kendua (Netrokona), another bull owner said, “Once village fairs were inconceivable without bull-fights but now the scenario has changed totally. We want to preserve this tradition for the next generation.”
Mahmud Anis, a college teacher who had arrived at the venue with his family members to enjoy the fight said, “We must return to our roots by reviving our virtually lost traditions.”
Traditions and heritage form the identity of a nation, opined Rifat Morshed, another college teacher.
Advocate Nazrul Islam Chunnu and Fayzur Rahman Fakir were the judges of the event.
A discussion was held on the occasion. State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Advocate Promod Mankin was the chief guest. Principal Motiur Rahman MP was the special guest.
The speakers told the audience that bull-fighting, a common source of entertainment in the past, is rapidly heading towards oblivion. There was a time when people used to lean towards traditional sources of recreation. Fairs, especially those held in the villages, were difficult to imagine without bull-fights, cock-fights, kobi gaan, jari gaan but now the interest in such entertainment has declined due to the aggression of satellite TV culture, they pointed out, asserting that the younger generation should come forward to help revive the traditions that bear our identity as Bengalis.