Raj Punnah begins amid festivity in Bandarban
Security guards, dressed in traditional attire, escort Bomang King KS Pru Chowdhury to Darbar Hall in Rajbari compound in Bandarban prior to the opening of Raj Punnah festival yesterday. Photo: STAR
The celebration of Raj Punnah, a traditional festival of the Bomang tribe, began in Bandarban yesterday. Sixteenth Bomang King K S Pru Chowdhury inaugurated the five-day festival, ascending a makeshift throne at Darbar Hall at around 10:00am. Marma children greeted the king, showering petals, according to our Rangamati correspondent. Raj Punnah is an annual revenue collection programme where the Bomang circle chief collects taxes from headmen and karbaris (businessmen). Thousands of indigenous people---Chakma, Marma, Tangchagya, Tripura, Pankhua, Lusai, Khiyang, Bawm and Chak from Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari districts thronged the Rajbari compound yesterday to enjoy the traditional royal festival. Tourists and Bangalee settlers from the three hill district also gathered in the Rajbari compound on the first day of the festival. On the opening day of Raj Punnah festival, the headmen of 109 mouzas and over 1,000 karbaris expressed their allegiance to the king, who received annual jhum tax and traditional gifts from them. The headmen and karbaris brought a bottle of wine each, cocks, goats, pigs and wine as gift for the king. On the occasion, a five-day mela (fair) also started at the field in front of the Bomang king's palace yesterday. Bomang people will put on display their traditional food items and stage colourful cultural programmes at the fair. Bomang King K S Pru Chowdhury will meet all headmen and Karbaris at his palace at 1:30pm today. Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing, Chairman of CHT Development Board, was the chief guest at the inaugural function. Bandarban Hill District Council Chairman Kwe Shwe Hla, Deputy Commissioner of Bandarban K M Tarikul Islam, Superintendent of Police Kamrul Ahsan, Bandarban Brigade Commander Samsul Huda were present, reports a correspondent from Bandarban.
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