M Syfullah
‘Whether or not flower blooms today is spring’ is an aft quoted line of the late poet Subash Mukhapadya.
Today is Pahela Falgun, the first day of spring in the Bangla seasonal chain. It begins colour and festivities in the minds of people, lighting up the spring on hearts of all, irrespective of age, life and living.
On the first day of Falgun, first month of spring in the Bengali calendar, the ‘King of seasons’ receives a warm welcome. Shades of saffron, yellow, orange and red were predominant.
City trees may not have adorned themselves with flora but young women certainly did. Flowers were in plenty at the vendors’ on the sidewalks. Roses and rajnigandha dominate the flower market throughout the year. But perhaps Pahela Falgun is one occasion when marigolds rule the day.
People, mostly youngsters, traditionally celebrate the charming occasion wearing colourful dresses, carrying flowers in their hands welcoming the advent of spring and sharing love.
Young women, dressed in red-bordered yellow saris, flowers in hairs, welcoming the day signals the colour of spring with cuckoos singing songs of the season. It draws the picture of the colourful season’s transition from dry, dull and drab winter.
The familiar songs on the spring ‘Orey bhai fagun legechhey bon-e bon-e,’ ‘Dokhin haowa,’ ‘Tumi nabo nabo roop-e esho praney,’ ‘Bashonto elo elo rey may be on the air of the city including the Dhaka University campus.
The capital would also wake up with a cool morning, if the weather will remain dry as the city dwellers crowd the Dhaka University campus and parks to celebrate the first day of spring, greeting it with songs and flowers.
The Jatiya Basanta Utsab Udjapan Parishad has arranged its traditional ceremonies to greet the spring with Basanta Utsab 1415.
The celebrations would begin with a day-long spring festival at 7 am today under ‘Bakul Tala’ at the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University.
There would be songs, dances, recitations, talks and exchange of greetings and gifts and presentations by indigenous people and songs by leading singers, organisers said.
According to tradition, southern breezes should start to blow soon, marking the end of the chilly currents swooping down from the Himalayas, Basanta being the harbinger of warmth and new life.
During the spring, the change in nature becomes noticeable, with birds chirping, flowers blooming and trees sprouting new leaves. The festival was arranged to welcome all these changes.
Courtesy: nation.ittefaq.com
