Published: 12:00 AM, 13 April 2016
Sangrain festival of Marma begins
CHITTAGONG, 12 April- The entire Bandarban of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) takes festive look as the traditional ' Sangrain ' festival of the Marma community began from Tuesday. The ethnic community Marma of Bandarban of Bandarban is celebrating the biggest ' Sangrain ' festival amid a big preparation of different food items to feed the guests.
Bir Bahadur MP of Bandarban brought out a rally and inaugurated the Sangrain festival. At that time, Bangladesh Army Bandarban Regional Commander Fakrul Ahsan, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Bandarban Dilip Kumar Bonik, Mayor of Pourashobha Islam Baby, Jila Porishad member Loby Pod Das and top government officials were present.
Three days, out of four-day festival, are spent bidding farewell to the outgoing year. The fourth day focus on greeting the incoming year. On the first day of the festival both male and female members of the Marma tribe form a procession to take their images of Buddha down to the riverfront. The images will be washed on a raft with either a mixture of sandalwood and water, or milk and water in preparation for reinstalling them at the temple or in their shrines at their homes.
Sangrain means new year. It falls in the middle of month of April. Before the days of Sangrain, they clean and decorate their houses because to Marmas, Sangrain is an auspicious and significant festival of the year in secular and religious level. The way they celebrate is not much different from the way of Burmese and Thai people do.
These are some of stuff they do in the celebration of new year. They make traditional food and cookies. They play various kinds of games and the most enjoyable and important is flashing water to each other. The following two days, being the last two days of the old year, are spent in light-hearted celebration called pani-khela, where participants splash each other with water, symbolically washing away all the sorrows and ills of the past year. A similar ceremony is carried out by the Rakhaine, called rangpani, where participants splash each other with colored water.
People mostly young boys and girls enjoy water festival. They organize and gather from various parts of the country in one particular area to play water festival.
Anybody can join the festival disregard of their creed, group and so on. It is opportunity for everyone to make friendship even with stranger. On this auspicious occasion everyone is friend. Enemy and mistakes are forgiven and become friend. Everyone is determined to start with new hope and new way of life. They also go to the temple, wash the Buddha statues and eight observe eight precept, take five oaths and circumbulate the pagoda around all together. The monks in the temple take this chance to remind the dharma; the right way of living and practicing as Buddhist. The elders are worshiped and they bless the young ones for bright future.
Besides, there is one popular Sangrain and touch the hearts of Marma. Everyone, one and big ones, knows this song because it is sung in every Sangrain. It was composed by U Chala Bhante. As per the song, Marmas said, "Let's get together in Sangrain, And play water, Oh brothers and sisters, come, come let's rejoice.The Chakmas enjoy a three-day festival, two of which fall into the outgoing year. The first day is dedicated to celebrations for Phul Bijhu, the second for Mul Bijhu, and new year's day for Gojyai Pojya.
During Phul Bijhu there is general merrymaking in preparation for the main festival of Mul Bijhu, celebrated on the last day of the outgoing year. During this time the Chakmas visit one another's homes, socializing and eating together. Young girls, distinguished by their blue and red lungis that have been woven on hand-looms, gather in groups to enjoy each other's company and wander from house to house at leisure and playing games in the afternoon. In addition to spending time visiting each other's homes and enjoying traditional foods such as panchan, the Tripura community enjoy Goraia dance, with between 10 and 100 artists participating in the dance which depicts their daily lives and the processes of Jhum cultivation in Chittagong Hill Tracts. Throughout the Chittagong Hills Tracts, the first day of the New Year is greeted with merriment and the hope for a prosperous and trouble-free year ahead.
Bir Bahadur MP of Bandarban brought out a rally and inaugurated the Sangrain festival. At that time, Bangladesh Army Bandarban Regional Commander Fakrul Ahsan, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Bandarban Dilip Kumar Bonik, Mayor of Pourashobha Islam Baby, Jila Porishad member Loby Pod Das and top government officials were present.
Three days, out of four-day festival, are spent bidding farewell to the outgoing year. The fourth day focus on greeting the incoming year. On the first day of the festival both male and female members of the Marma tribe form a procession to take their images of Buddha down to the riverfront. The images will be washed on a raft with either a mixture of sandalwood and water, or milk and water in preparation for reinstalling them at the temple or in their shrines at their homes.
Sangrain means new year. It falls in the middle of month of April. Before the days of Sangrain, they clean and decorate their houses because to Marmas, Sangrain is an auspicious and significant festival of the year in secular and religious level. The way they celebrate is not much different from the way of Burmese and Thai people do.
These are some of stuff they do in the celebration of new year. They make traditional food and cookies. They play various kinds of games and the most enjoyable and important is flashing water to each other. The following two days, being the last two days of the old year, are spent in light-hearted celebration called pani-khela, where participants splash each other with water, symbolically washing away all the sorrows and ills of the past year. A similar ceremony is carried out by the Rakhaine, called rangpani, where participants splash each other with colored water.
People mostly young boys and girls enjoy water festival. They organize and gather from various parts of the country in one particular area to play water festival.
Anybody can join the festival disregard of their creed, group and so on. It is opportunity for everyone to make friendship even with stranger. On this auspicious occasion everyone is friend. Enemy and mistakes are forgiven and become friend. Everyone is determined to start with new hope and new way of life. They also go to the temple, wash the Buddha statues and eight observe eight precept, take five oaths and circumbulate the pagoda around all together. The monks in the temple take this chance to remind the dharma; the right way of living and practicing as Buddhist. The elders are worshiped and they bless the young ones for bright future.
Besides, there is one popular Sangrain and touch the hearts of Marma. Everyone, one and big ones, knows this song because it is sung in every Sangrain. It was composed by U Chala Bhante. As per the song, Marmas said, "Let's get together in Sangrain, And play water, Oh brothers and sisters, come, come let's rejoice.The Chakmas enjoy a three-day festival, two of which fall into the outgoing year. The first day is dedicated to celebrations for Phul Bijhu, the second for Mul Bijhu, and new year's day for Gojyai Pojya.
During Phul Bijhu there is general merrymaking in preparation for the main festival of Mul Bijhu, celebrated on the last day of the outgoing year. During this time the Chakmas visit one another's homes, socializing and eating together. Young girls, distinguished by their blue and red lungis that have been woven on hand-looms, gather in groups to enjoy each other's company and wander from house to house at leisure and playing games in the afternoon. In addition to spending time visiting each other's homes and enjoying traditional foods such as panchan, the Tripura community enjoy Goraia dance, with between 10 and 100 artists participating in the dance which depicts their daily lives and the processes of Jhum cultivation in Chittagong Hill Tracts. Throughout the Chittagong Hills Tracts, the first day of the New Year is greeted with merriment and the hope for a prosperous and trouble-free year ahead.
