PHOTO: STAR

CARNIVALS OF FOLK AND FOOD

The Boishakhi Mela is where the rural soul of Bengal meets the urban appetite for nostalgia. Whether it is the grand fairs in Dhaka or the smaller ones in Chittagong or Manikganj, the mela is a sanctuary of folk crafts, pottery, and the iconic traditional Ferris wheel.

“The first thing I look for is the Nagordola,” says Shahriar Sakib, a final-year private university student. “The creaking sound of the wood and the view from the top make you feel like a child again. And, naturally, the cuisine is unmatched, as nothing surpasses the crisp texture of a murali or khaja at the fair.

Food is the centrepiece of the Mela culture. While Panta Ilish has become a modern urban staple, the authentic experience lies in the street food. “For me, Baishakh is the smell of fried fish and the tang of green mangoes,” says Ishmam Rafiq Hasan, a university lecturer, who visits the fairs in Old Dhaka’s Shankhari Bazar and surrounding areas every year. “We sit on the grass, listen to the baul songs, and eat together. It’s the one day we aren’t concerned about our status; we are just Bangalis.”

DEFYING DARKNESS IN THE DAWN

The celebration is incomplete without the dawn musical programme at Ramna Batamul. This tradition was started in 1967 by Chhayanaut, a leading cultural organisation. At a time when the Pakistani regime sought to suppress Bengali culture and banned the songs of Rabindranath Tagore, Chhayanaut took a stand. They gathered under the ancient banyan tree (Batamul) to greet the new year with Tagore’s “Esho Hey Baishakh”.

Ever since, the banyan tree has served as a sanctuary for the Bengali spirit. Despite the tragic bombing in 2001, the tradition has only grown stronger, proving that the melody of a nation cannot be silenced by fear. Every year, thousands gather in the dim light of dawn, waiting for the first notes of the flute to pierce the silence, signalling that another year of resilience, art, and unity has begun.

As the notes of “Esho Hey Baishakh” sweep away the old, we gather for the beloved tradition of panta ilish. Between this soulful melody and the shared meal, we find the enduring, vibrant spirit of our Bengali identity.