All the colours unite as Boisabi festival begins in Rangamati

The all colourful, vibrant and traditional three-day-long Boisabi festival of the indigenous people of different ethnic communities in Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) started on Tuesday.

Chakma, Tripura, and Marma communities decorated their houses with flowers and also immersed them in rivers seeking blessings from the River Ganges on the first day of the festival known as "Phul Biju."

Wearing traditional dresses, young ladies, and children released the flowers on the different rivers and canals in the morning praying for the removal of all frustrations and sorrows of the previous year.

Prokriti Ranjan Chakma, former president of Bangladesh Adibasi Forum, CHT region, inaugurated the colourful Ful Biju programmes at Rajbari Ghat.

Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman was made the chief guest of the event.

He said, "I am fascinated by this festival of diversity. The celebrations have united us. This is the tradition of Bengal. This will continue till eternity."

"We all want to live in peace and harmony. This is what we wish for today," said Intu Moni Chakma, Rangamati district president of the Bangladesh Adivasi Forum.

CHT development activist Supriyo Chakma Shuvo echoed Intu Moni Chakma.

He said,  "This festival is embedded with our souls. We pray and hope that the culture of CHT will be protected and peace will prevail in the region. We wish Phul Biju to the people of the country."

For the last two years, Boisabi celebrations were limited due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But, with a more stable pandemic situation this year, festivity among the hill people has returned, giving them hopes for a better tomorrow.  

On the second day of the festival known as "Mul Biju," "Boishu" or "Bishu," the main attraction is an indigenous delicacy named "Pachon" that is cooked in every household.

On 14 April, the day of the Bangla New Year celebration, the three-day water-throwing festival named "Jolkeli" of the Marma community will begin.

The ultimate day will officially mark the end of the festival of Boisabi. 

This year's grand Jolkeli festival has been arranged in Betbunia union under the district's Kawkhali upazila.

A five-day fair began in Rangamati on 5 April ahead of the traditional Boisabi celebrations in the CHT.

Several stalls were set up to showcase and sell traditional dresses, toys, and other essentials of different ethnic communities. 

Artistes from different communities also performed in the cultural programmes and traditional sports were arranged by the local authorities.