Spotlight

Pahela Baishakh musing

Saushan Rahman

The scorching heat is a killing machine; and I wish I could dive into a pool of icy cool water. In spite of having plenty of water, I felt dehydrated. But this did not stop me from going from one shop to another, to find the perfect red and white sari for the big day. It was the first thing on my shopping list. I got so many plans for the big day and I had so many things to buy. All the shopping was for one special day, Pahela Baishakh. No matter how much one hates the scorching heat of Summer and wishes he/she was born in a country were Summer was not as hot as here, yet it is difficult to find a Bengali who does not wait for this special day.

It is difficult for me to specify what I like most about this day. When something is dear, then it is difficult to find the most special aspect of thing. It is very obvious that the first day of the year is always special. But Pahela Baishakh is more than that. For me each shade of this occasion is special and beautiful. First I would want to mention the fact that this occasion always brings us back to our roots. No matter how much one watches the foreign channels and follow the styles of Hollywood and Bollywood actors and actresses, this is one day when all that simply does not matter. It is true that we do celebrate December 31 with a spirit of joy, yet when it comes to Pahela Baishakh, the joy is doubled. This is the day when the boy who always wears baggy pants, tight t-shirt and metal chains would put those away and wear pajama and panjabi. The girl who wears bellbottoms, jeans and tops most of the time would wear sari. All these shows that our culture is neither lost, nor is our tradition forgotten.

Pahela Baishakh is the day when every one forgets all laziness and get on the road. People keep walking and do not seem to get tired. This is something I enjoy a lot. Every time I do get boils on my feet, but that never stopped me from walking the streets and enjoy the spirit of the crowd. This is the day when no one is a stranger. Everywhere people greet each other shobhu nobo borsho like close friends. To me this is the day that ties people in one thread.

While writing about Pahela Baishakh, I can not miss mentioning the food and the functions. Though Dhaka has her share of international food chains like Pizza Hut, KFC and what not, and all of those are jam packed by customers all the time, but this is the time, people rush to Ramna park to have a taste of the mouth watering Bengali cuisine such as panta bhaat and Hilsha fry. And of course there is the musical event organized by Chayanat and the fairs that take place. The turn up at the musical event is amazing. More people come to this event than any open air concert performed by foreign artists.

What I feel is that above all this, the specialty of Pahela Baishakh remains in the uniqueness of the occasion. This day is celebrated in Bangladesh and parts of India. So this makes Pahela Baishakh solely our occasion. The English new year is celebrated around the globe almost in the similar manner. Though there are differences, but that is fading gradually. But Pahela Baishakh is celebrated in our own way. This celebration of a new year cannot be found in other parts of the globe. That is what makes this occasion more special than anything else. This is our occasion and we celebrate this day in our very own special way.