Pahela Faglun: The Spring Festival of Bangladesh

After two long months of bleak winter, the first day of Falgun (Spring) is welcomed by Bengalis with flamboyant celebrations and colorful rallies. The spring brings color to the world with new green leaves, budding flowers, animals awakening from winter hibernation, and chirping birds. The first day of spring, widely known as Pahela Falgun or Boshonto Utshob, is a joyous occasion for Bengalis. Boshonto Utshob is a day-long celebration celebrated by the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University(DU) since the Bengali year 1401.

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The day is greeted with melodious tunes of classical songs by various talented artists at Bokultola. Thousands of men and women wear vibrant color attires that match their surroundings; the Spring flowers such as polash, shimul, marigold are being worn in flower crown by women, who adorn themselves with 'Bashonti' (a shade of yellow) clothing. Clad in yellow, orange, and red sarees and punjabis that signify the Spring season, they sang the song of Boshonto, “Esho mili praner utshabe” (Come, let us celebrate life together) around 7 in the morning to inaugurate the festival at Charukola.   Boshonto Utshob is not only rejoiced at DU but across the whole country.

In Dhaka, Rabindra Shorobor, Dhanmondi; Bahadur Shah Park, Old Dhaka; and Rabindra Shoroni, Uttara celebrates the day in their own way. Other organizations, including the Dhaka University Cultural Society, Jahangirnagar University, and Chhayanaut, also organize different spectacular cultural events to celebrate Pahela Falgun.     Many schools, colleges, universities, and offices around the country organize socio-cultural events to mark the special day. Band concerts are being planned at the various campuses, where a larger crowd is anticipated later in the afternoon.   In villages, fairs are arranged for several days with special functions where artists perform folk music, dance, and theatre (Jatra pala).  Stalls of sweet and savory food are among the main attractions of these fairs, along with rides for children like nagordolas and merry-go-rounds.   The first day of Boshonto is embraced with warm, colorful events as it fills us with sunshine, warmth, and hope. Celebrating the day is our heritage, and it will be welcomed as long as spring washes away the gray, dull days of winter.

Written by,

Boby Sarker

Information Collected