Bangladeshi Festivals

Hello Steemians, as you maybe know I come from Bangladesh, I am born here and I still live here :) What do you know about Bangladesh? Bangladesh is reputated around the world due to Natural View, Rivers and Crop Plants :) But in Bangladesh we know how to make good parties so I decided to start a blog series about Bangladesh Festivals! youhouuuuuu!!!

Bangladesh, to the east of India on the Bay of Bengal, is a South Asian country marked by lush greenery and many waterways. Its Padma (Ganges), Meghna and Jamuna rivers create fertile plains, and travel by boat is common. On the southern coast, the Sundarbans, an enormous mangrove forest shared with Eastern India, is home to the royal Bengal tiger.

There are as many festivals in Bangladesh as there are days in the year. Fairs and festivals play an important role in the social life of ordinary Bangladeshis. The biggest Muslim religious festivals are the Eid-Ul-Fitr (end of the fasting month of Ramadhan). Eid-ul Azha, Muharram and Miladunnabi (Birth day of the Prophet), widely celebrated festivals for other religious communities are the Durga Puja for the Hindus, Christmas for Christians and Buddha Purnima for the Buddhists. Bangla New Year's Day (Pahela Baishakh), Shahid Dibas (Language Martyrs' Day), Independence Day (March 26) and Victory Day (December 16) are celebrated nationwide.

Besides these religious and national festivals, villages and townships, professional groups, cultural organizations arrange their own festivals.

EID-UL-FITR:

The biggest Muslim festival, Eid-ul- Fitr is observed throughout the world. The Eid falls on the following day of Ramadan or the month of fasting.

EID-UL-AZHA:

Eid-ul-Azha is the second biggest festival of the Muslims. It marks the Hajj in Mecca on the 10th of Zilhaj, the lunar month. Large Eid congregations are held in mosques and public prayer grounds. Animals are sacrificed in the memory of Hazrat Ibrahim's (AM) preparedness for the sacrifice of his beloved son to Allah. The day is a public holiday.

MUHARRAM:

The biggest Muslim festival, Eid-ul- Fitr is observed throughout the world. The Eid falls on the following day of Ramadan or the month of fasting.

PAHELA BAISHAKH:

Bengali New Year's day is colorful event in the cities and villages throughout the country. The day (14 April) is a public holiday. The most attractive event in Dhaka, that spreads throughout the day, takes place at Ramna Park. Students of the Fine Art Institute of Dhaka University organize colorful pageant where paper made animals and masks figure prominently. Tournaments, boat races and other forms of celebration take place amidst great jubilation. Many fairs are held in Dhaka and other towns and villages.

INDEPENDENCE DAY:

The biggest state festival, the Independence day (March 26) is observed throughout the country. All major cities wear a festive look. It is a public holiday. The citizens of Dhaka wake up early in the morning to the sound of booming guns heralding the day. Leaders of the government, political and social organizations, freedom fighters and ordinary citizens alike place floral wreaths at the National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar. Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and other socio-cultural organizations held cultural function Sports meet and tournaments are organized including the exciting boat race in the river Buriganga. At night the main public buildings are illuminated. Similar functions are arranged in other cities and towns.

21ST FEB. : WORLD MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY

21 February of every year is observed throughout the country in remembrance of the martyrs' of Language Movement of 1952. Blood was shed on this day at the Central Shahid Minar (near Dhaka Medical College Hospital) area to establish Bangla as a state language of Pakistan. All subsequent movements including the struggle for independence owe their origin to the historic language movement. The Shahid Minar (martyrs' monument) is the symbol of the supreme sacrifice for the mother tongue. The day is a public holiday. Mourning services begin in Dhaka at midnight at the Shahid Minar with a song that tellingly recall the sacrifice of the martyrs. The event of the day include processions, song sessions, placing of flowers at the Minar and prayer at the graves of martyrs' at Azimpur.

The day has been declared the International Mother Language Day by the UNESCO.

CHIRSTMAS:

Christmas, known as "Bara Din" or The Big Day in Bangla is celebrated with festivities in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country. Several day-long congregations are held at St. Mary's Cathedral at Ramna, Portuguese Church at Tejgaon, Church of Bangladesh (Protestant) on Johnson Road and Bangladesh Baptist Sangha at Sadarghat, Dhaka. Functions include illumination of churches, decorating Christmas tree & other festivities.

DURGA PUJA:

Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Hindu community in the country, continues for ten days with the last three days being the most joyful. The festivities culminate with the idol of goddess Durga immersed in the river. In Dhaka the big celebrations are held ; at Dhakeswari Temple, where a fair is also held and at the Ram Krishna Mission.

•By Atikulislam

•Culled from www.steemit.com