Photo : BSS

GAIBANDHA, April 8, 2025 (BSS) - Baha Parab, also known as Bahabanga or the 
flower festival, was celebrated in Santal dominated areas of Gobindaganj 
upazila in the district today with a call to promote the cultural heritage 
and tradition of the Santal by the government.

Marking the festival, Abalamban Foundation, a voluntary organisation which 
works for the welfare and rights of the Santal community, chalked out 
elaborate programmes. 

The programmes included bringing out rally, rendering songs, performing dance 
and holding cultural events. 

Apart from it, a discussion meeting organised by Abalamban Foundation was 
also held on the premises of Adventist Pre-Primary School under Kamdia union 
of the upazila this morning in cooperation with European Union, Free Press 
Unlimited and Article 19. 

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Syeda Yasmin Sultana attended the function as 
the chief guest. 

Cultural personality Zahurul Qaiyum, Sports Affairs Organiser Waziur Rahman 
Raphel, Journalist Amitav Das Himun, Executive Director of Abalamban 
Foundation Prabir Chakrabarty, Chief Editor of IP News Anthony Rema, Advocacy 
Coordinator of Abalamban Foundation Tony Chiran, Santal leaders Bitish Saren, 
Sabina Tudu, Surovi Mardy, Social workers-- Anjali Rani Devi, Nazma Begum, 
Selina Akhter and Sajeda Parvin Runu-- were present, among others. 

The speakers said language, culture and the tradition of the Santal are 
ignored, as a result, their hereditary traditions are being extinct. 

In this context, they demanded of the government to take necessary steps to 
promote the culture of the Santal side by side with protecting their 
language, heritage and tradition. 

Indigenous leader Bitish Saren said Baha means flower and Parab means 
festival. That is why Baha Parab is called the "Flower Festival" in Bengal.

Originally, the festival "Baha Parab" is celebrated on the full moon day of 
the month of Falgun, he added. 

Men, women and children of the Santal community are dressed in traditional 
attire and rendered songs and performed dances marking the festival and they 
also welcome the Spring, queen of all seasons, in different rituals.

Later, the cultural teams of the Santal rendered songs and performed dances 
marking the festival. 

A large number of Santal people ranging from the children to adults including 
the invited persons participated in the programmes.