One festival, myriad celebrations

One of the most significant and biggest social festivals for the indigenous communities of the Chattogram Hill Tract is the three-day-long Biju.

While the importance and celebrations of this festival is the same to each of the communities, they have different names and ways of celebrating it.

The CHT Chakmas call it "Biju", the Marma-Rakhine call it "Sangrai", those from Tripura call it "Baisu", Tangchanya call it "Bishu", the Ahmia call it "Bihu", Khumi call it "Sangkraing", Khyiang call it "Sanglan" and the Mro call it "Chankran".

For Chakmas, the three-day festival kicks off with "Phul Biju" on April 12, when they dress up in traditional garb and release flowers into the lake.

The releasing of flowers is to signify the letting go of yesterday's sorrow and misfortune by making offerings to Lord Buddha and praying for blessings in every aspect of life for the upcoming year.

The second day is called "Mul Biju", which starts with devotees bathing in the river for blessings. Even the elderly, assisted by the young, take part in this ritual.

Afterwards, they wear new traditional clothes -- the women wear Pinon-Haadi and the men Silum-Dhudi -- and visit others in their villages. Special delicacies for the day include "Pajon" -- a mixed vegetable curry with dried fish bits -- along with different kinds of homemade sweets and traditional food. On this day, the houses of those celebrating are open to all.

The day ends with a special Biju dance, in which anyone and everyone embodying the spirit of the festival can participate.

The last day of the festival is on April 14, the first day of the Bangla New Year. Called "gojjepojje din", the day involves different socio-religious activities.

It is believed that "Biju" celebrations revolves mainly around agriculture as it is celebrated in the middle of April when the first rains of the year hit the country.

It is said that the prayers offered during the festival are a way of worshipping the Earth in order to get good harvest.

The Tripura community, who call it Baisu, have a special song for the festival -- "turu to turu, Sumur sute goi, para para bereynoh baksha mili noi", which translates to "Let's play the flute and go around the neighbourhoods together".

Their three days of the festival are called Haribaisu, Boisuma and Baisu Katal.

On Hairbaisu, they too pick fresh flowers to release into the lake and pray for the prosperity, peace and welfare of their families, the country and the world.

The men wear traditional dhotis with white vests and the women ensure to adorn themselves is beautiful silver jewellery.

While the young ones engage in traditional games like "shukui" or "gudu", others take part in the most fascinating aspect of the celebrations -- the "goria" dance, which is performed in honour of Lord Goria.

The Mro start preparing for the "Chankran" on April 13.

They spend the day washing clothes to make them fresh, cleaning the house to welcome the new year, and shining the stove to welcome the "new flame".

They welcome the next day with sounds of the "Plung (flute)" and devotees take different cooked food to the temple.

After receiving blessings from the monk, they greet each other for the New Year.

The Marma and Rakhine people called it the Sangrai.

They begin the three-day festival on April 13 by decorating their homes with flowers. On the second day, they make "Chhuang (a kind of food)" offerings at the temple and bathe "Buddha".

On April 15, the third day, the young take part in "Rilong Poye" – a game where they throw water at each other – and other fun games.

The Khiyang celebrate the festival, which they call Sanglan, for two days -- April 13 and 14.

On the first day -- ""Khei-suh" -- they adorn their cattle in floral wreaths and bath the elderlies of the village. On the second day -- the Sanglan -- they prepare different delicacies and cakes and leave their homes open for all to drop by throughout the day.