Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring in the Bangla month of Falgun, has been celebrated across Bangladesh.
Bangladesh, especially the youth of the country – with their animated vigour and colourful mind – is celebrating Pohela Falgun, a festival welcoming the advent of spring on Sunday.
This year, the festival arrives when the entire world is suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Any formal programs marking the day will not be held considering the pandemic, but people are expected to celebrate the day, nonetheless, wearing colourful dresses, floral ornaments and by offering flowers to their dear and near ones.
Bangalis mark the spring festival on the first day of the Bangla month of Falgun. It is also called Boshonto Utshob that usually falls on February 13.
Since 2020, the day has coincided with Valentine’s Day on February 14, which has also become a major day for celebration for festival-loving Bangladeshis, especially the youth.
In 2019, Bangla Academy revised the Bangla Calendar to match it to the Gregorian calendar, aimed at observing significant days in line with the historic backgrounds.
On the day, the nation’s capital and other major cities of the country usually become ablaze with mirth and merriment as excited youngsters wear yellow and red clothing, flower-made ornaments, and attend traditional musical functions.
However this year, the festival will be celebrated on a small scale, avoiding gatherings as much as possible.
Clad in yellow sarees and panjabis, people, especially the youth, would likely visit Dhaka University campus, which is considered the focal point of the celebration. They would perhaps also haunt Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, Rabindra Sarobar, Dhanmondi Lake, Hatirjheel and other places in the capital.
City markets were also busy with shoppers buying colourful panjabis, saris, and other traditional dresses ahead of the festival.
Different brands of garment products, shoes and ornaments are also giving special offers to customers on the eve of the two major festivals.
Newspapers have also been publishing special supplements for the last couple of days, carrying the message of the festivals.
Spring has arrived with the blossom of flowers and new leaves in trees. In nature, it is considered that the “Krishnachura” flower brings the message of the arrival of spring.
Spring has been depicted as the king of all seasons in poetry for its extraordinary beauty. A famous excerpt by Subhash Mukhopadhyay stating “Phul phutuk na phutuk, aaj Boshonto” (Whether flowers bloom or not, today’s spring) beautifully depicts the advent of the Boshonto Utshob.
After the dryness of winter, new leaves and colourful flowers such as Shimul, Polash and Marigold, denote the message of the arrival of spring.
Colourful flowers, the melody of birds and the mild touch of sunshine – everything will make one feel that springtime is nature’s festival.
Different socio-cultural organizations celebrated the day with various programs in Dhaka and elsewhere.
