Preparations underway for Pahela Boishakh

Every Boishakh -- the first month of the Bangla calendar, people wish to shake off the previous year's gloom and prepare to usher in the New Year with renewed vigour.

Boishakh brings with it a whole new flurry of festivities and celebrations, the biggest of which are Chhayanaut's Borshoboron and Charukala's Mongol Shobhajatra.

Leading cultural organisation and school Chhayanaut has been welcoming Pahela Boishakh at Ramna's Boto-mul since 1967. It has become an essential feature of the Bangla New Year celebrations.

The first day of Boishakh begins with people getting up early in the morning attired in new Boishakhi saris and panjabis to go to Ramna Park to enjoy the songs, dances and recitations by the esteemed organisation. 

Another significant celebration programme is the Mongol Shobhajatra that starts from the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) premises of University of Dhaka.

This year's Mongol Shobhajatra will start at around 9:30am and will parade several streets adjacent to the FFA. Dhaka University Vice Chancellor and FFA Dean -- along with artists and teachers will lead the procession.  

The colourful procession will predominantly zoom in on the country's prosperity. Folk motifs including ducks, shoal of fish, fawn, mother and child, tigers, cats, owls, clay-pan paintings and more will be showcased at the Mongol Shobhajatra.

Three honours batches of FFA are behind the wheel of this year's Pahela Boishakh celebrations. Bioscope is a new addition for the year.

Work is already underway in creating exquisitely made papier-mâché and clay masks; enthusiastic preparations are on at the FFA to celebrate the country's biggest cultural festival. Students, teachers and alumni are seen working on the watercolour paintings, pottery, traditional dolls, decorated pots, lokkhishora and more at the faculty premises.

They were seen busy working on huge bamboo frames of the folk motifs that will be among the main attractions of this year's Mongol Shobhajatra.

On April 13 evening, a Chaitra Sangkranti programme will be held at the Bakultala of FFA, where students will perform in a cultural programme.

There will also be a puppet show at the faculty throughout the Pahela Boishakh celebrations. Apart from this, a traditional jatrapala will be staged at FFA premises on April 15.

People from all walks of life will contribute to make this day a special beginning. There are those who work hard to bring out the festivities and it's up to the rest of the people to make it worth all the effort, by simply visiting and participating in them with open hearts.