Through this festival, we hope to bid farewell to the old as well as to end all evil deeds including conflict and extortion in the mountains says Arju Pru Chowdhury
Bijoy Dhar, Rangamati: Baisabi Utsab, the biggest traditional festival of indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, ended in Rangamati on Sunday with the Sangrai water festival.
This grand event is organized every year to welcome the new year. Every year, the Marma Cultural Organization (Masas) organizes this beautiful event to present the language, culture, art, and traditions of the communities of the hill town.
A traditional water festival was held at Bangalhalia High School grounds in Rajasthali, at 12pm on Sunday.
Dipankar Talukder MP, president of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food Ministry, was present at the event as the chief guest. He inaugurated the water festival by ringing the traditional Mong bell and cutting the ribbon after the discussion.
After that, the young people of the Marma community were divided into several groups and participated in the water festival by sprinkling water on each other. Different cultural programs were also held.
Thousands of men and women, children and teenagers gathered at the festival site to watch the most interesting water festival. Tourists come from far to see this festival.
In the presence of people from all walks of life, this festival became a get together place for hill communities and Bengalis.
Masas President Arju Pru Chowdhury said: “Through this festival, we hope to bid farewell to the old as well as to end all evil deeds including conflict and extortion in the mountains. We want the bond of brotherhood to be strengthened through the water festival.”
Dipankar Talukdar MP said: “The present government is working on various developments for the development of the indigenous people as it is sincere in the development of the hilly areas. Baisabi festival is not only for the hill people, it has now become a universal festival.”