Chaitra Shankranti and Pahela Baishakh in rural Bangladesh
Photo Courtesy: Alfred Khokon And Jhantu
Most communities in rural Bangladesh celebrate Chaitra Shankranti and Pahela Baishakh according to age-old traditions. The celebrations bring together people, irrespective of creed and social differences. An interesting facet of these festivities is that Chaitra Shankranti gets a more colourful celebration than Pahela Baishakh.
Browsing for the traditional art forms performed on the occasion of Chaitra Shankranti and Pahela Baishakh, I wandered around the remote areas of Jhenaidah and Kushtia, and came across some unique forms and trends, that can be categorised in three ways: Ritual based performances, customs and traditions, and entertainment.
Usually rural communities arrange a weeklong programme to celebrate the end of a year and the beginning of another. The preparations start a month before Chaitra Shankranti and Pahela Baishakh.
Ritual based performances
In the rural areas the sanyasis (ascetics) and members of the Hindu community perform several ritualistic art forms such as Kanta Bhanga-Hajrapita, Ashtogaan and Gourakkho Puja throughout the Bengali month of Chaitra, in particular on Chaitra Shankranti.
On the eve of Chaitra Shankranti, sanyasis demonstrate their ability to endure extreme pain and discomfort by piercing their bodies with sharp objects.
I heard about Hajrapita-Kanta Bhanga, performed by the sanyasis of the Baishna Kopali Sampraday on the Chaitra Shankranti eve. According to the cult, the Hajrapita-Kanta Bhanga performance has the effect of exorcism -- believing this would free them or evil in the coming year.
To see the Hajrapita-Kanta Bhanga performance I had to travel to the Boalia village under Shoilokupa thana of Jhenidah district. The village is isolated from the mainland by the serpentine river Kumar. Going through bamboo groves by the river I reached at one point what the locals call 'Narayan Mundu' (Head of the Hindu god Narayan). It is a conjunction of three trees – bel, sheora and kul.
All of a sudden a group of sanyasis -- with paint all over their bodies, wearing long hair and carrying tridents and other sharp objects -- rushed out from a bamboo grove. They gathered at the 'Narayan Mundu' and made circular movements. As dhak and mandira played on, they performed this ritual that is supposed to drive away evil. Later, the sanyasis climbed on top of a nearby khejur tree and smashed thorns with their bare toes. This horrific act was somehow hypnotic.
Ashtogaan is another kind of ritualistic performance practiced in the Hindu communities throughout the month of Chaitra in the remote areas of South-western Bangladesh. I had the opportunity to enjoy Ashtogaan -- a genre of kirtan presented by a choir -- performed by the Hrishi Sampraday and Baishna Kopali Sampraday in Jhenidah.
The Ashtogaan performance by Nripendra Nath Das and his troupe at Tribeni village highlighted the essence of divine love for the humanity through narrating the myths of the four great epochs in Hinduism: Satya Jug, Treta Jug, Dwapar Jug and Koli Jug. Leela (feats celebrating divinity) of Lakshmi-Narayan, Ram-Sita, Radha-Krishna, Gaor-Nitai are performed as representations of the four ages.
The artistes of the troupe painted their faces and started bandona (prelude) at the yard of a house. The bandona was followed by narration of the leela. During the narration, artistes enacted the roles of Narayan, Ram, Krishna Lakshmi, Sita, Radha and other divine beings. The tune is similar to that of kirtan. Typical instruments like harmonium, dholok, kartal and bansi are used. The choir presents a part of the performance at one house and then moves to another house.
Another type of ritualistic performance, Gourakkho Puja, is usually performed on the Pahela Baishakh eve. Gourakkho Puja takes place at cowsheds. Interestingly I saw a Muslim named Alfaz from Shekhertek, who performs the ritual. He said that ringing a bell he chants for the well being of the cattle owned by both Hindus and Muslims.
The tune of his rendition is also similar to traditional kirtan. He carries a clay pot with motifs of a cow and a calf on it. According to Alfaz, carrying this pot and burning dhup (incense) are two major elements of the performance.
People in these areas also carry out rituals seeking relief from the sweltering sun. Usually a group of people do zikir (chanting) on the Pahela Baishakh eve. Subsequently they distribute shinni (offering) among the children. It is believed that rain comes within a few days after the ritual. Atiar Rahman, a leader of one such group, said that as per the instruction of the legendary Gazi Pir they distribute shinni only among the children.
Customs and traditions
While traversing the rural Southwest, I saw the people of Hrishi Sampraday giving finishing touches to handicrafts to be sold at the 'Chaitra Shankranti Mela'. Potters were adorning clay items with dye extracted from pui shak.
The mela is the most colourful event on Chaitra Shankranti and Pahela Baishakh. People from all communities participate in the festivities. Though this type of mela is popularly known as 'Baishakhi mela' in the urban areas, in the villages these fairs begin on Chaitra Shankranti eve and continue for a week. They are also known as 'Gajoner Mela'. Agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, handmade toys, as well as food and sweets are sold at these melas. These events also provide entertainment -- with singers, dancers and jatra. Snake charmers display their prowess over hooded cobras.
A highlight of Pahela Baishakh is to open a halkhata (a new book of accounts), which has been a tradition since the times of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Initially it was a financial affair but now halkhata has become an inseparable custom of Baishakhi celebrations.
The traders and businessmen close their old account books and open new ones. They invite their customers to share sweets and renew their business deals. Traders of all communities observe the day with much gusto.
Hindus daub the books with sindur for good luck. Gopen Karmakar, an owner of a jewellery shop at Sheikhpara, said that usually the celebration begins only after offering a puja to Ganesh. Mantras are chanted and swastikas are drawn on the account books by the priests.
The Muslim traders opens halkhata by holding milaads, said M. Abdul Bari, the owner of a clothing store.
Entertainment
The cultural scene in the Southwest region of the country is dominated by bauls. Singers render baul songs at different ashons and akhras. Chaitra Shankranti and Pahela Baishakh are busy times for the bauls. They perform at musical soirees, sometimes at melas and at times by a ghat or under a big tree. Alongside baul songs, traditional artistes perform other folk genres such as pallapalli gaan, jari gaan and Gazir gaan.
Akbar Shain, a seasoned artiste of Jhenidah, said that he has accepted baaina (agreement) from several mela organisers and individuals to render baul songs and pallapalli (the locals refer to kabi gaan as pallapalli in which two bauls debate on fundamental issues such as srishti tatta and dehotatta based on lyrics of baul gurus like Fakir Lalon Shah, Panju Shah and others).
Jari gaan, a folk genre in which the tragic story of Karbala is narrated at a nightlong event, is also quite popular in the region. I attended a performance by Jarial Obed Ali Mandal and Babul Ali Lashkar at the Tribeni village. The duo informed that they would perform at several nightlong Jari ashors during the first week of Baishakh. They also said that the folk music genre has much demand at the Baishakhi festivities, though Jari gaan is usually performed in the monsoon.
I also had the rare opportunity to watch a Gazir gaan performance at the Bashontopur village. In the dim light of the hajak (lamp), Rowshan Ali and his troupe narrated the myths of Gazi-Kalu-Champaboti. Though Gazir gaan is a ritual based art form, it is performed during Baishakhi celebration as a source of entertainment.
Moreover, on Pahela Baishakh eve people in Southwest Bangladesh take part in different traditional sports like lathikhela, ha-du-du and dariyabanda.
Professional lathials were seen practicing with the beats of dhol and kansha. They are invited to special occasions to display their prowess and mettle in this game where the players combat with bamboo sticks, swords and spears.
In rural Bangladesh the festivities begin with 'Gajoner Mela' and 'Charok' -- two major elements of Chaitra Shankranti celebration. Among Bengalis and other ethnic minorities the nature of the celebrations may vary but the spirit is the same: well wishes, merriment and festivity.
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