Spotlight

Pahela Baishakh: Emotion & Reality

Md. Lutful Hoque Khan

It's a new day, an exceptional day. Men with colourful 'Panjabi' and women with red 'shari' come out to the streets early in the morning. They relish `Hilsha fish' with 'panta' at their home or at 'Ramna Batmul'. The words 'Shuvo Naboborsho' is in everybody's lips. It's nice to hear the song, 'Esho hey Baishakh, esho, esho, ......... Ognisnaney suchi hok dhora...' wishing that all the garbage of society be washed away.

This is the common scenario of Pahela Baishakh, when everybody tries to be a 'Bangali' just for a day. People gather here and there for gossiping, some of them singing band songs, a guitar in their hands instead of 'Ektara'. In Dhaka, some people gather in D.U. campus, some people gather at the Fine Arts Institute and some gather at Ramna Park. Hawkers sell masks of different design. Many of us buy these masks. Multinational companies organize musical concert. We like to listen to Habib's songs and try to forget that we are in so much pain due to terrorism, corruption, poverty and political problems.

It's a reality that the village will be turned into a city, the outsider 'English' will drive out the use of Bangla language, but Bangladeshis will always celebrate Pahela Baishakh with the same spirit of joy. Pahela Baishakh is the festival of heart and soul for every Bangali.