Festivity is in the air, as different communities living in Tripura started their New Year’s celebrations according to their own culture, custom and traditions.
The people of Chakma community started celebrating Biju, their age-old traditional festival that marks the beginning of a new year.
The three-day festivities began with great enthusiasm on Thursday, April 13, as people from all walks of life joined in to observe this joyous occasion.
The State-level Biju festival in Agartala was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Tripura, Dr Manik Saha, on the first day of the festival. The event was graced by the presence of Minister Santana Chakma and other dignitaries.
The first day of Biju, known as Phool Biju, is celebrated by cleaning and decorating homes with flowers. The Chakma people offer floral tributes to the local rivers, seeking the well-being of living beings. Dressed in traditional attire, males and females participate in the day’s proceedings with religious fervor and joy.
On the second day of the festival, April 14, Mul Biju is held, where traditional music and dances are performed, and the world-renowned Biju dance is the prime attraction of the day.
The third and final day of Biju, April 15, called Gotche Potche Biju, is observed to honor the elderly members of the community with an elaborate feast. This day also involves the renewal of marital vows between spouses.
The rich cultural traditions and diversification of Tripura are evident during the Biju festival, where people of different faiths and ethnicities joyfully participate in the traditional festivities.
Apart from Biju, the Bengali community in Tripura will also observe the end of the Bengali year on April 14 through the thrilling Charak Mela and celebrate the Bengali new year, Nababarsha, on April 15 with traditional rituals and gaiety.
The Biju festival and other traditional celebrations in Tripura showcase the state’s unique cultural heritage and the harmony that exists among people of different communities.