Preparation for the traditional Mongol Shobhajatra rally, marking the celebrations of Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year 1423, is on at Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University (JKKNIU), a culture based university in Trishal of Mymensingh.

The students of Fine Arts Department of the university are in hectic preparation for the traditional rally. “To accompany the New Year shaking off all unwanted matters of the previous years, we are passing busy days now to make the traditional celebrations a success,” said working students.

The rally will feature natural and traditional elements of rural Bangla, said teachers and students of the department.

The students of the department are making images of different traditional items like decorated pots, traditional dolls, birds, animal including horse, hare, monkey and different musical instruments at the department premises to add more colour to the traditional procession scheduled to be brought out from the campus in the morning marking the celebrations, university sources said.

Senior students of the department and their teachers - Safin Omar and Masum Hawlader - are leading the preparations.

“We are trying our best to make the traditional procession more flamboyant than the previous years, using the past experience and proper guidance rendered by beloved teachers”, said Didarul Hossain Limon, a masters student of the department, while talking to this correspondent.

Tapon Kumar Sarker, head of Fine Arts Department said the preparation for traditional rally will be completed in due time. Some 400 traditional masks of different images will be included in the rally to make it more vibrant, said Tapon Kumar.

The students of Fine Arts Department will also organise a fanush (sky lantern) festival, lighting lamps and fireworks on 'Chaitra Sankranti', the last day of the Bengali Year 1422, sources said.

Meanwhile, JKKNIU authority has taken daylong programmes marking the celebrations. The day's programmes include arranging of traditional games and sports, staging of drama by the artistes of Natyakala (theatre) Department and cultural function by Music Department of the university.

People of adjacent areas, irrespective to caste, creed and religions, join the rally every year in festive mood.

The vice-chancellor of JKKNIU, Prof. Dr. Mohit Ul Alam said the shape of the traditional rally will be big this year as more traditional items have been included.

“We hope to observe the day with new flurry of festivities and celebrations involving the people of local areas”, said the vice-chancellor.