Hill youths celebrate Sangrai with dance, song in Bandarban

Youths from eleven ethnic communities in Bandarban celebrated the Sangrai festival with traditional dances and songs, adding vibrant colour to the festivities.

The cultural programme, held on the fourth day of the Marma Sangrai festival, took place at Rajar Maidan on Wednesday (April 16), attracting participants from various ethnic groups, including Chakmas, Tripuras, Bams, and Tanchangyas.

The Baisabi or New Year's Eve celebrations, spanning from April 12, are being observed across the three hill districts. These include the Marma Sangrai, Chakma Biju, Tripura Baisu, Tanchangya Bishu, and the newly introduced Mrod New Year's Eve festival, Changkran.

In Bandarban, a district predominantly inhabited by the Marma community, Sangrai celebrations are taking place in homes across the region over seven days. Rajar Maidan has become a central hub for these festivities, drawing not only the local population but also tourists from both within the country and abroad.

At 4:30pm, the cultural programme was inaugurated by Jolly Mong Marma, the founder president of the Shangrai Festival Celebration Committee. The ceremony was attended by prominent figures including K S Mong, a member of the Chattogram Hill Tracts Regional Council, human rights leader Donai Pru Neli, and Chanu Mong Marma, the president of the Festival Celebration Committee.

During the event, local artists performed traditional dances, representing their communities' festivals, and captivated the audience with their lively performances.

A highlight of the Marma Sangrai festival was the Maitree Panibarshan or Jalkeli, where Marma youths from different neighborhoods formed eight groups to participate in water-splashing games. These water rituals, known as Jalkeli, are an important cultural practice and are believed to symbolise the exchange of feelings, often seen as a precursor to marriage.

Chanu Mong Marma, the president of the Festival Celebration Committee, announced that water games and cultural activities will continue at Rajar Maidan on the fifth and sixth days of the festival, Thursday, April 17, and Friday, April 18.

He emphasized that the week-long Sangrai festival has evolved into a universal celebration for the people of the hills, with active participation from all, including local authorities, law enforcement, and the general public.