<i>Boisabi fest kicks off in CHT</i>
Indigenous people float flowers at Kaptai Lake in Rangamati during 'phulbiju' on the first day of the three-day Boisabi festival that kicked off yesterday in the three hill districts of Chittagong.Photo: STAR
The three-day 'Boisabi' utsab (festival) marking the Bangla new year begin in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) yesterday amid great enthusiasm and festivity. The indigenous people of three hill districts -- Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari -- celebrate the day simultaneously. Through different prorgammes during the festival, they shed the sorrows of past year and welcome the new year. The first day of the festival is called "Phulbiju" the second day is "Mulbiju" and third day or first day of the Bangla New Year is called "Gojya Pojya Din." Tripuras call the festival as Boisuk, the Marmas as Sangrai and the Chakmas as Biju and the first 2-3 words of all the three names form the word 'Boisabi'. Of the eleven indigenous groups in the hill tracts, eight communities Chakma, Marma, Tangchangya, Tripura, Mro, Khumi, Khiyang and Chak celebrate the festival. As per the tradition, on the first day of the three-day festival yesterday, the indigenous people floated flowers on Kaptai Lake in the town. Madhabi Lata Chakma, member of CHT Regional Council, inaugurated the flower floating ceremony. “Everybody irrespective of caste, creed and religion should come forward to save the rich culture, customs and age-old tradition of the indigenous people in the hills,” said barrister Devasish Roy, chief of Chakma Circle, at the ceremony. The Tripura people yesterday organised different programmes including floating of flowers, bathing and offering clothes to the elderly men and women at Gorjantali in Rangamati. They also entertained the guests with pithas (cakes). People of CHT will celebrate Mulbiju (main function) on Friday. On this day, every family of indigenous people prepares 'pachan' a kind of mixed vegetable curry to entertain the guests, as they believe that it will prevent them from diseases in the coming year. They also make various types of indigenous pithas (cakes) and sweetmeats. Besides, all the adults and young people drink home made liquor to celebrate the festival. On the third day or Gojjya Pojjya Din or the first day of the Bangla New Year, they visit temples in a relaxed mood and invite each other for lunches. However, they do not perform any religious function at temples. The Marmas celebrate the Bengali New Year amid holding of 'Sangrai water festival' where the young boys and girls sprinkle water on each other. The Sangrai festival will be held at the Betbunia High School ground on Saturday April 15 in Rangamati.
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