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There is a saying that says, there are 13 festivals in 12 months in Bengal. Here, the Baishakh festival is celebrated in the scorching heat of summer, during monsoon, a showery day issues a warrant for rainy day festival, during Hemanta, Nabanna festival is celebrated when new crops are brought home. Winter is no different. From the fog piercing soft sunlight and morning dew on the grass to the reddish afternoon sunlight at the top of an almost barren eucalyptus, everything feels like an arrangement as if silently demanding its own celebration. Poush festival of rural Bangladesh is nothing like anything.

Poush festival of rural Bangladesh: what and when

Poush festival celebrates the arrival of winter. This festival is also known as Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti. Sankranti refers to the last day of a Bangla month. That is why the festival is celebrated on the last day of Bengali month of Poush. However, the reason for its name being Makar Sankranti is a bit different. Many believe that the signs of the zodiac rotate according to the month. It is assumed that the zodiac sign Capricorn completes its rotation at this time of the year.  

The Poush festival celebration in rural Bengal

The smoking clay stove

Rice cake
Different types of rice cakes are the delicacies of winter

Towards the end of Poush, the village brides butter the yeard of their house with new clay. This new yard inspires many people to draw ‘Alpona’ (hand-drawn doodle) on it by mixing rice flour with water. Rush in the kitchen begins from the Fajr time. The smell of the rice powder permeates the entire house. After dawn, the bustle in the kitchen increases even further. Some become busy making rice cake with molasses, some become busy boiling the freshly collected date sap. It is as if watching a rice cake fair. A variety of rice cakes is made in rural areas of Bangladesh including Nakshi Pitha, Puli Pitha, Patishapta, Malpowa, Chitoi Pitha. However, during Poush many people also have Chit Pitha (one kind of rooti) and duck meat curry as breakfast. Enjoy molasses rice pudding is another amazing aspect of Poush festival of rural Bangladesh.

Villagers don’t just stop there, they deliver these delicious rice cakes to every home in their neighborhood. The custom of sending pitha on a plate is unique only to us and synonymous with our hospitality and culture. 

To the beat, melody, and rhythm

In rural Bengal, especially in tribal villages, the pous festival in rural Bangladesh is celebrated with dance and songs. The imprint of one’s own tradition becomes apparent through these cultural events. For example, the stick-dance performed by a group of tea workers under a banyan tree of Dhamai tea garden in Juri Upazila of Moulvibazar. Bhawaiya, Jari, Gazi, and Gambhira songs sung by by Udichi Shilpi Sangha on the occasion of Poush festival in Manikganj are another example. Before the influence of television entertainment, Jatra (folk theatre) was the primary way of entertainment and was organized on the occasion of pous festival. On wintry nights, the villagers used to sit in front of the stage wearing warm clothes to enjoy Chand Saudagar’s or Manisa Devi’s exotic performance.

In the field of fair 

Village fair
Village fairs are the main attraction of the Poush festival of rural Bangladesh

Many villages have the custom of organizing fairs on the occasion of pous festival. Clay items, handmade cane and bamboo items, different types of cosmetics are sold in these fairs. Besides these fairs also features plenty of entertainment facilities such as circus, magic shows, and Jatrapala (folk theatre). Because of all these village fair is one of the main attraction of pous festival. Kids come with their parents and gather around the toy stalls, puppet shows, and bioscope areas to enjoy every aspect of the fair. People who come alone return home with cosmetics for their loved ones and toys for kids. Nowadays these types of fairs are also organized in urban areas for the same reason by different organizations including Dhaka Fine Arts.

During Agrahayan, farmers grow new crops and bring them home. And pous is the time when they take a break. With the added taste of various types of winter delicacies and the festivity of the fair, Poush becomes one of the most lively months of rural Bangladesh. Unlike festivals in urban areas, there is nothing artificial, no banner-festoon formality in the rural areas of Bangladesh. The imprint of our tradition and hospitality is transparent and pure.

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