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Ushering in 1415

Chhayanat's Borshoboron at Ramna

Cultural Correspondent
Sweltering heat has taken over and mango trees are in blossom; and with a forceful nor’wester on the last night of the Bengali year 1414, Baishakh heralded itself.
Crack of dawn, Pahela Baishakh, 1415: Like every year, artistes of Chhayanat were getting ready for their big performance. As daylight gradually became more radiant, notes of sitar and banshi mingled with the sounds of nature.
The borshoboron programme that was initiated by Chhayanat in the '60s (and has been held every year since then except in 1971) was a breakthrough phenomenon. It started a trend — celebrating the Bangla New Year in the urban areas. Thanks to that initiation, Pahela Baishakh now enjoys the
same kind of grandeur in the cities as other major festivals like Eid or Durga Puja.
Over the decades the borshoboron has gone through changes: the arrangement has become greater; due a bomb blast in 2001 security has been beefed up at the Ramna Botomul — now everyone has to walk through metal detectors. The informal nature of the celebration has
changed. As the choir now includes more singers and musicians (the stage currently has six tiers with senior artistes on the top level), the coordination has become more challenging; at times certain artistes sound off-key. But borshoboron is not about the demonstration of music prowess; people from all over the city come together to celebrate their Bangaliyana — this programme is the platform.
As noted media personality Aly Zaker -- who recited a poem at the borshoboron -- put it, "Despite the economic stress and food crisis, people have come to usher in the New Year. Our spirits are high and we all hope 1415 will bring about positive changes in every sphere."
Under the canopy of the mammoth ashwath tree that has wiL nessed borshoboron for about five decades now, Chhayanat artistes started with a rendition of Hridoy rnajhey tomar duaar kholar dhiuoni. ATM Jahangir sang Shoda thako anondey. A group rendition of Bhengechho duaar, eshechho jyotirmoy followed. Under the watchful eye of Sanjida Khatun the borshoboron continued.
The audience seemed engrossed in Mita Plaque's emotive rendition of Aandhar rajani pohalo. People were still pouring in-through the 'Uttarayan' and 'ArunachaT gates.
Sharmin Shathi Islam sang Akashey bhorer tara. Following recitation by Bhaswar n Bandyopadhyay. Mahiuzzaman Chowdhury sang Chokhey amar trishna.
Kliairul Anam Shakil's rendition of Keduronto bajdo jhad-er byakul banshi highlighted the essence of the season.
Sanjida Khatun’s words summed up the borshoboron, "Here we discover ourselves yet again; we come together to celebrate our heritage. To proclaim an esteemed existence in the world, a nation must be well-rooted in its culture and traditions."
That sense of patriotism ran deep as Chhayanat artistes rendered Amar shonar Bangla and everyone sang along.