Reviving the rhythm
Preparations for Mangal Shobhajatra in full swing at DU
Due to the pandemic, the rhythm in our lives has been lost. Through this year's Shobhajatra theme, 'Nirmal' has been called upon to shed the inertia and filth.
It's that time of the year again, when Dhaka University's fine arts faculty is surrounded by colours.
Students were seen busy with preparations for Mangal Shobhajatra ahead of Pahela Baishakh, the Bangla new year, to be held on April 14. What added more to the festivities is the fact that the event was halted for two consecutive years due to the pandemic.
This year, it's expected to make a comeback like never before.
"Mangal Shobhajatra 1429" will be held under the theme "Nirmal Koro Mangal Kore Molin Mormo Muchaye", which translates to an invitation to purify life and make it better by erasing the gloom and negativity of all sorts.
Preparations for the event have been going on at the campus since March 31.
During a visit to DU's fine arts faculty yesterday, these correspondents found students busy crafting masks and festoons, supervised by faculty member Shishir Bhattacharya.
"It's like a dream come true. I've been seeing the preparations on television since I was a little girl, and now I'm a part of it," said Mandira Sarker Tanni, a fresher at the faculty working on the preparations for the first time.
As part of fundraising for the event, a week-long "art camp" is ongoing at Zainul Gallery -- inaugurated last Tuesday by Syed Abul Barq Alvi, honorary professor of the printmaking department and former dean of the faculty.
There is no corporate patronage or sponsors for the event. Works of the faculty members are being displayed, and the expenses will be met with the revenue generated from the sales of these works.
Nisar Hossain, dean of the fine arts faculty, told The Daily Star, "Due to the pandemic, the rhythm in our lives has been lost. Through this year's Shobhajatra theme, 'Nirmal' has been called upon to shed the inertia and filth."
He also mentioned that this year's procession will start from TSC and end in front of the vice chancellor's residence. Social distancing will also be maintained, he added.
This year's Shobhajatra will start at 9:00am on April 14, and will be inaugurated by DU Vice Chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman.
Mangal Shobhajatra was initiated in 1989 by DU's Faculty of Fine Arts. Within a few years, it became an essential component of Pahela Baishakh celebrations. It came to be known as Mangal Shobhajatra in 1996. On November 30, 2016, it was recognised as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage.