Eid-ul-Fitr amid coronavirus pandemic

On Monday (May 25, 2020), after a month-long fasting, Muslims in Bangladesh celebrated the Eid-ul-Fitr amid nationwide lockdown and limitations on movement. This religious festival came at a time when the number of infections and death due to the coronavirus pandemic was increasing rapidly. However, on this occasion, I would like to wish all people around the world a very happy Eid. Stay at home and stay safe. Allah might protect us from the coronavirus pandemic. There is no doubt that this invisible enemy has hampered our everyday life very severely, but I expect that we can go back to our normal life again very soon. 

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Because of the outbreak of the coronavirus all over the world, this one of the two major religious festivals of Muslims had been celebrated unlike any other. To contain the spread of this deadly virus, Muslim devotees had to offer Eid prayer at nearby mosques maintaining social distance and health guidelines properly. Worshippers went to the mosques wearing protective face masks and bringing prayer mats from home. Instead of holding one big congregational prayer, several Eid jamaat were held at mosques. To help prevent the spread of this dangerous virus, mosques were disinfected before the Eid prayers and carpets were not rolled out. As the Covid-19 pandemic got deteriorated, Eid congregations were not arranged at Eidgahs or other open places. Even the devotees were not seen handshaking and embracing each other after the prayer. 

On this day, there was the arrangement of various delicious food items at every home, but there was no guest. People had to celebrate this special day with only their family members at home instead of visiting relatives’ house and hanging around. They spent the day eating food, wishing nearer and dearer ones over the phone and on social networking sites and also watching TV programs. 

Mother is the first teacher for children

The foundation of children’s moral education is formed from the family. Mother is their first teacher in the family. They get the overall primary and important education of their life from their mother. What a child learns in the first six years of its life is the best education of their life. In this case, mothers play the main role. Basically children learn ethics from family and surroundings. Once upon a time in our society, there was predominance of joint family, which has now broken down and become small or nuclear family. As a result, children in today’s families are being raised by housemaids. Housemaids are being the victims of various types of discrimination and torture, which the children are always observing. Children in the family are learning what they are seeing. As a result, they are growing up in a kind of unethical manner. 

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We, the family members, are responsible for this when we know that educational institutions are called light house. It is their responsibility to grow the students as complete human beings. But in the existing education system of the country, the educational institutions are failing to fulfill this responsibility. In the developed countries of the world, there is a kind of beautiful adjustment between education system and religious education, which is absent in Bangladesh. As a result, students are moving away from religious education. We need to overcome this situation. Religious education should have to be provided from family, society and educational institutions, which will develop the moral and human quality among students. In this case, if we fail, the country’s existence may face the trouble. For this reason, everyone related will have to play a role. 

Shakrain Festival: A festival that connects people irrespective of their social status and religion

Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti is popularly known as Shakrain among old Dhaka people in Bangladesh. In old Dhaka, this festival is celebrated in a festive atmosphere by all the residents. Though it is not celebrated all over Bangladesh, it is very popular and important Bangladeshi culture. 

Shakrain is the Dhakaiya name of the festival celebrated in South Asia in the name Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti. This festival is known in different names in different countries and regions, such as Poush Sankranti in India, Maghe Sankranti in Nepal, Maghi in Punjab, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Sakraat in Delhi and Haryana, Uttarayana in Gujarat and many more. 

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“Sankranti”, a Sanskrit word, corrupted by Dhaka dialect is pronounced Shakrain. Shakrain Festival is an annual celebration held in winter in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This festival is celebrated on the last day of the Bengali month Poush. Thus, the other name of this festival is “Poush Sankranti”. The word “Sankranti” means “End” and Poush is the ninth month of the Bengali calendar. So, “Poush Sankranti” means “End of Poush”. On this day, the sun starts moving towards the southward from the tropic of Capricorn to the tropic of Cancer. Therefore, it is also known as “Makar Sankranti”. Shakrain Festival falls on January 14 or 15 in Gregorian calendar, but because of some differences of the Bengali calendar with the date of almanac, residents of old Dhaka celebrate this festival for two days- January 14 and 15- every year. 

Shakrain Festival or Makar Sankranti has a long history. It has been celebrated since ancient time but there is no specific information about its origin. It could be thousand years old or even more. According to Indian mythology, Bhishma, the great warrior, accepted death on his bed of arrows on this auspicious hour of Makar Sankranti. According to another opinion, the battle of the demons with the gods ended on this day. Vishnu, the preserver God of Hindu religion, killed the demons and buried their severed heads in Mandira Mountain. Therefore, it is still believed that all evil forces had been destroyed and good forces had been rekindled during Makar Sankranti. According to another opinion, the sun went to visit the house of his son Shani (Saturn) for one month on this day. So, this day is also considered as a special day of the relationship between father and son. 

The celebration of Shakrain Festival is limited only in the old part of Dhaka city. This festival is celebrated in a grandiloquent manner in Hindu inhabited areas of old Dhaka. Residents of Shankhari Bazaar, Tanti Bazar, Laxmibazar, Sutrapur, Dholaikhal, Chawkbazar, Bangshal, Dhupkhola, Sadarghat, Gendaria, Lalbagh, Goal Nagar and other surrounding areas celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm and fervor. On this occasion, people belong to different ages- kid, youngster, middle aged- fly kites of different colors and sizes from the rooftops in all these areas in the afternoon. Though kite is flown from the beginning of the day, it becomes more serious in the afternoon. As a result, this kite flying competition turns into kite fighting. In this competition, participants try to cut down one another’s kite. Those who join this competition often brag about how many kites of others they have cut down. For this reason, this festival has got countrywide popularity as “Kite Festival”. 

At present, alongside flying kites all day long, the sky of the city on the bank of the Buriganga River is filled with colorful fireworks and lanterns at night. Colorful fireworks and lanterns light up the skies of old Dhaka as the sun sets. Flame-eaters (also called fire breathers) show tricks from building rooftops to entertain the audience. With the advancement of time, Shakrain Festival has become changed with the addition of laser light, music and dance party arranged by the young people of the community. There are also the arrangement of delicious cakes and sweets in every household. 

Though Shakrain Festival is mainly celebrated by the Hindus across the globe, it has got a “Non-communal” tag in Bangladesh with the participation of people from different social status and religions. It connects people regardless their social status and religion. For this reason, it is seen as the symbol of brotherhood, unity and friendship. 

The darker the night the closer the day

Human life is not a bed of roses. People have to go through many ups and downs in their lifetime. In the course of life, happiness and sorrow as well as peril and safety remain side by side. As a result, happiness and sorrow come to our life sometimes and get involved with it. One cannot experience happiness without experiencing sorrow, but that does not mean life is full of sorrow. The ferry of comfortable life is at the last border of sorrow. The golden dawn appears after the end of dark night. So, there is nothing to be disappointed even if our life is covered with the darkness of sorrow.

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As the night grows darker, the closer it gets to the day- it is the law of nature. In the same way, the more severe the grief becomes or the more dangerous it becomes, you will have to understand the closer the golden dawn of happiness is. Bernard Joseph in this context said, “There is no such night that will not become morning. There is no such sorrow that will not return in time.”

Comment: The call of death alongside life is true. Similarly, happiness and sorrow are inextricably connected with one another. Denying the existence of one without the other is like a mirage. 

Bonbibi: A non-communal goddess

Bonbibi (বনবিবি) is a symbol of non-communalism. This female goddess is worshipped by both Hindu and Muslim people living in the surrounding villages of the Sundarbans located in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Another example that carries the proof of cosmopolitanism is the name itself. The name ‘Bonbibi’ is the combination of Sanskrit and Arabic. The word ‘Bon’ means forest and ‘bibi’ is a title, which Muslim women commonly use as surname. The exact meaning of the name ‘Bonbibi’ is ‘lady of the forest’. There is no doubt that this combination has given the Bengali goddess a unique name. Apart from this name, she is also known to her Hindu followers as Bandevi, Bandurga and Byaghradevi.

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Devotees of Bonbibi arrange a festival every year in January or February to pay their respect to her. Women of both religions- Hindu and Muslim- fast till sunset during this festival. It is also believed that the deity does not differentiate her admirers based on religion when it comes to giving blessings to them. If you read the tales of Bonbibi then it will be clear why she is equally revered by people of both religions. Stories about Bonbibi actually describe two major episodes- her battle with Dakkhin Rai and the story of Dukhe.

Bonbibi is called the queen of the jungle. She is the daughter of a Muslim saint. Before entering the forest, people worship her with a belief that the goddess will protect them from the attack of the tiger. She is the arch-rival of demon king Dokkhin Rai. It is said that she protects her worshipers from Dokkhin Rai who takes the form of a tiger and attacks people.

The purpose of writing this article is to show honor to all women in the world. They are called better half, life partner and many other things. Without women, this world would become lifeless.

Here is a video of Bonbibi-r Pala. Here, you can see the local actors illustrating the story of Bonbibi through their performance.