C T Online Desk: This year’s Mongol Shobhajatra, held on Friday, the first day of the Bangla New Year 1430, was a vibrant and eye-catching affair just like the previous years.
Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman inaugurated Mongol Shobhajatra, and the traditional colourful procession, which seeks everyone’s well-being and calls for harmony, began at 9am at DU’s Charukola, went to Shahbagh and ended where it had started.
Cultural Affairs Minister KM Khalid, DU teachers and students as well as people from all walks of life participated in the procession.
“Barish dhora majhe shantir bari,” a line from a Tagore song, was the theme for this year’s Mongol Shobhajatra.
This carnival adorned with colourful banners and animal replicas has become an integral part of Bangladesh’s culture.
Mongol Shobhajatra, which translates to “procession seeking wellbeing,” is a signature event that represents folk motifs of the country’s traditions.
Because of its uniqueness, Mongol Shobhajtra was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by Unesco on November 30, 2016.
The students of DU’s Faculty of Fine Arts started Mongol Shobhajatra in 1989, and soon it became an essential part of Pohela Boishakh celebrations in Dhaka and elsewhere.
