Bangladesh is a melting pot of races.
She,
therefore, has a mixed culture. Her deep rooted heritage is amply reflected in
her architecture, literature, dance, drama, music and painting.
Bangladeshi culture is influenced by
three great religions- Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam in successive order, with
Islam having the most pervading and lasting impact. Like a colorful montage, the
cultural tradition of the country is a happy blending of many variants, unique
in diversity but in essence greatly symmetrical.
Festivals:
A series of festivals varying from race to race
are observed here. Some of the Muslim rites are Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Muharram
etc. Hindus observe Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Kali Puja and many other pujas.
Christmas ( popularly called Baradin in Bangla ) is observed by Christians.
Also there
are some common festivities, which are observed countrywide by people irrespective of races. Pahela Baishakh
(the first day of Bangla year) is such a festival. National festivals are Independence
Day (26th March), 21st February (the
National Mourning Day and World Mother Language Day), The Victory Day (16th
December), Rabindra &
Nazrul Jayanti etc.
Festivals have always played a significant role in the life of the people of
Bangladesh. Those are parts and parcels of Bangalee culture and tradition. Brief
account of the major and regular festivals are given
below.
Pahela
Baishakh
The advent of Bengali New
Year is gaily observed throughout the country. The Day
(mid-April) is a public holiday. Most colorful daylong gatherings along with
arrangement of cultural program and traditional Panta at Ramna Park,
Dhaka is a special feature of Pahela Baishakh. Tournaments, boat races etc. are held
in cities and villages amidst great jubilation. Many fairs
are held in Dhaka and other towns and villages.
Independence
Day
March 26 is the
day of Independence of Bangladesh. It is the biggest state
festival. This day is most befittingly observed and the capital wears
a festive look. It is a public holiday. The citizens of Dhaka wake up early in
the morning with the booming of guns heralding the day. Citizens including
government leaders and
sociopolitical organizations and freedom fighters place floral wreaths at the
National Martyrs Monument at Savar. Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala
Academy and other socio-cultural organizations hold cultural functions.
At night the main public buildings are tastefully illuminated to give the
capital city a dazzling look. Similar functions are arranged in other parts of
the country.
21st Feb, the
National Mourning Day and World Mother Language Day
21 February is observed throughout the country to pay respect and homage to the
sacred souls of the martyrs' of Language Movement of 1952. Blood was shed on
this day at the Central Shahid Minar (near Dhaka Medical College Hospital) area
to establish Bangla as a state language of the then Pakistan. All subsequent
movements including struggle for independence owe their origin to the historic
language movement. The Shahid Minar (martyrs monument) is the symbol of
sacrifice for Bangla, the mother tongue. The day is closed holiday. Mourning
procedure
begin in Dhaka at midnight with the song Amar vaier raktay rangano ekushay
February (21st February, the day stained with my brothers' blood).
Nationals pay homage to the
martyrs by placing flora wreaths at the Shahid Minar. Very recently the day has
been declared World Mother Language Day by UNESCO.
Eid-e-Miladunnabi
Eid-e-Miladunnabi is the birth and death day of Prophet Muhammad (s). He was born and died the same day on 12th Rabiul
Awal (Lunar Month). The day is national holiday, national flag is flown atop
public and private houses and special food is served in orphanages, hospitals
and jails. At night important public buildings are illuminated and milad
mahfils are held.
Eid-ul-Fitr
The biggest Muslim
festival observed throughout the world. This is held on the day following the
Ramadan or the month of fasting. In Dhaka big congregations are held at the
National Eidgah and many mosques.
Eid-ul-Azha
Second biggest
festival of the Muslims. It is held marking the Hajj in Mecca on the 10th
Zilhaj, the lunar month. Eid congregations are held throughout the country. Animals are
sacrificed in reminiscence of Hazrat Ibrahim's (AM) preparedness for the supreme
sacrifice of his beloved son to Allah. It is a public holiday.
Muharram
Muharram
procession is a ceremonial mournful procession of Muslim
community. A large procession is brought out from the Hussaini Dalan Imambara on
10th Muharram in memory of the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) on this day
at Karbala in Iraq. Same observations are made elsewhere in the country.
Durga
Puja
Durga Puja, the
biggest festival of the Hindu community continues for ten days, the last
three days being culmination with the idol immersed in rivers. In Dhaka
the big celebrations are held at Dhakeswari Temple, where a fair is also held
and at the Ram Krishna Mission.
Christmas
Christmas,
popularly called
"Bara Din (Big Day)", is celebrated with pomp in Dhaka and elsewhere
in the country. Several day-long large gatherings are held at St. Mary's
Cathedral at Ramna, Portuguese Church at Tejgaon, Church of Bangladesh
(Protestant) on Johnson Road and Bangladesh Baptist Sangha at Sadarghat Dhaka.
Functions include illumination of churches, decorating Christmas tree and other Christian
festivities.
Rabindra &
Nazrul Jayanti
Birth anniversary
of the noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore on 25th Baishakh
(May) and
that of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on 11th Jaystha (May) are
observed throughout the country. Their death anniversaries are also
marked in
the same way. Big gatherings and song sessions organized by
socio-cultural organizations are salient features of the observance of
the days.
Tagore is the
writer of our national anthem while National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is famous as
Rebel Poet.
There are various
other festivals that are habitually
observed by Bangalees all the year round
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Literature:
Bangalees have a rich literary heritage. The earliest available specimen of
Bengali literature is about a thousand years old. During the mediaeval period.
Bengali Literature developed considerably with the patronage of Muslim rulers.
Chandi Das, Daulat Kazi and Alaol are some of the famous poets of the period.
The era of modern Bengali Literature
began in the late nineteenth century Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate is a vital part of
Bangalee culture. Kazi Nazrul Islam,
Michael Madhusudan
Datta. Sarat
Chandra Chattopadhaya, Bankim Chandra
Chattopadhaya, Mir Mosharraf Hossain and
Kazi Ahdul Wadud are the pioneers of modern Bengali Literature.
Music:
The
traditional music in Bangladesh shares the perspectives of that of the Indian
sub-continent. Music in
Bangladesh can be divided into three distinct categories -classical, folk and
modern. The classical music, both vocal and instrumental is rooted in the remote
past of the sub-continent. Ustad Alauddin Khan and Ustad Ayet Ali Khan are two
names in classical instrumental music who are internationally known.
The store of folk song abounds in spiritual lyrics of
Lalan Shah, Hasan Raja, Romesh Shill and many anonymous lyricists. Bangla
music arena is enriched with Jari, Shari, Bhatiali, Murshidi and other types of folk
songs. Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul Sangeet are Bangalees'
precious heritage. Modern music is also practiced widely. Contemporary patterns have more inclinations to west. Pop song
and band groups are also coming up mainly in Dhaka
City.
Musical Instruments
Bangladesh has a good number of musical instruments
originally
of her own. Originally country musical instruments include, Banshi (bamboo
flute), Dhole (wooden drums), Ektara (a single stringed instrument), Dotara (a
four stringed instrument), Mandira (a pair of metal bawls used as rhythm
instrument), Khanjani, Sharinda etc. Now-a-days western instruments such as
Guitar, Drums, Saxophone, Synthesizer etc. are being used alongside country instruments.
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Zainul Abedin's
painting called 'The Rebel
Cow'
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Painting:
There is a rich
tradition of modern painting which was
pioneered by Zainul
Abedin, Kamrul
Hassan, Anwarul Haque, Shafiuddin Ahmed
and S.
M. Sultan. Zainul
Abedin earned
international fame for his sketches on famine of 1943 in
Bangladesh. Other famous artists of Bangladesh are Abdur
Razzak, Qayyum
Chowdhury, Murtaza
Baseer, Aminul
Islam, Debdas
Chakraborty, Kazi
Abdul Baset, Syed
Jahangir, and Mohammad
Kibria
Drama:
Drama in Bangladesh
has an old tradition and is very popular. In
Dhaka more than a dozen theater groups have been regularly staging
locally written plays as well as those adopted
from famous writers, mainly of European
origin. Popular
theatre groups are Dhaka Theatre, Nagarik Nattya Sampraday and Theatre.
In Dhaka, Baily Road area is known as 'Natak Para'
where drama shows are regularly held. Public Library Auditorium and Museum Auditorium
are famous for holding cultural shows. Dhaka University area is a pivotal part
of cultural activities.
Dance:
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Folk Dance
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Classical forms of the sub-continent
predominate in Bangladeshi dance. The folk, tribal and Middle Eastern traits are
also common. Among the tribal dances, particularly popular are Monipuri and
Santal. Rural girls are in the habit of dancing that does not
require any grammar or regulations. Bangla songs like jari and shari are
presented accompanied with dance of both male and female performers.
Jatra:
Jatra(Folk Drama) is another vital chapter of Bangalee
culture. It depicts mythological episodes of love and tragedy.
Legendary plays of
heroism are also popular, particularly in
the rural areas. In near past jatra was the
biggest entertainment means for the rural Bangalees and in that sense for 80% of
the population since the same percentage of the population lived in rural
Bangladesh. Now-a-days jatra has been placed in the back seat in the
entertainment era. Gradually western culture is occupying the place of
traditional culture like jatra.
Traditional
Transportation Means:
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Palki
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There are some transportation means that
are parts of culture of Bangladesh. In rural areas bullock carts, buffalo carts
and tomtoms (horse carts) are commonly used. In old Dhaka once tomtom
was a common vehicle and still it is found, though rare. Bicycles are used
both in rural and urban areas. Palki (a box-like vehicle carried on
shoulders by six men) is a wedding transportation means. Brides are carried to
the bridegrooms' places by Palki. Being a land crisscrossed by rivers,
Bangladesh has a wide-ranged tradition of ferry transport. Wooden boat popularly
called nawka is a vital means of rural communication. Rickshaw is a very common
vehicle to Bangladeshis.
Clothing:
Bangladeshi women habitually wear Sarees.
Jamdani was once world famous for it's most artistic and expensive ornamental
fabric. Moslin, a fine and artistic type of cloth was well-known worldwide.
Naksi Kantha, embroidered quilted patchwork cloth produced by the village women,
is still familiar in villages and towns simultaneously. A common hairstyle is Beni
(twisted bun) that Bangalee women are fond of. Traditionally males wear Panjabis,
Fatuas and Pajamas. Hindus wear Dhuty for religious purposes. Now-a-days common dresses of males are shirts and pants.
Government and non-government organizations like Bangla Academy, Nazrul
Institute, Bangladesh Shilpakala
Academy, Fine arts Institute, Chhayanat etc. play significant role to flourish
Bangladeshi art and culture providing encouragement
in music, drama, dance, recitation, art etc. Many
other cultural organizations are also popularizing
Bangladeshi art
and culture.
