সাম্প্রদায়িক সম্প্রীতির প্রেক্ষিতে নদীয়ার বিরহীর ভাইফোঁটার মেলা
Volume-XIII, Issue-III, April 2025
Volume-XIII, Issue-III, April 2025 |
Received: 20.04.2025 | Accepted: 28.04.2025 | Published Online: 30.04.2025 | Page No: 49-53 | ||||
সাম্প্রদায়িক সম্প্রীতির প্রেক্ষিতে নদীয়ার বিরহীর ভাইফোঁটার মেলা সঞ্জিত ভক্ত,গবেষক, লোকসংস্কৃতি বিভাগ, কল্যাণী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, কল্যাণী, নদীয়া, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত ড. সুজয় কুমার মন্ডল, অধ্যাপক, লোকসংস্কৃতি বিভাগ, কল্যাণী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, কল্যাণী, নদীয়া, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
The Bhaiphonta Fair of Birohi in Nadia in the Context of Communal Harmony Sanjit Bhakta, Researcher, Dept. of Folklore, Kalyani University, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India Dr. Sujay Kumar Mandal, Professor, Dept. of Folklore, Kalyani University, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
Communalism is a curse of society. Currently, the way of communalism is rearing its head is leading the society towards destruction. The only solution to save it is to create a harmonious environment by preventing communalism and hatred among each other. If we study folklore carefully, we will see that almost every element of folklore plays an essential role in creating a harmonious environment in the society. The folk festivals are one of the various elements of folklore that help tackle the growth of communalism and create an atmosphere of harmony. Folk festivals bring together people from all castes, classes, and creeds in the society and create a harmonious environment by observing various folk customs and practices associated with those folk festivals. Folk festivals play an important role in creating and maintaining communal harmony. One such folk fair is the Birhi Bhaiphonta Mela. Through unity, cultural exchange, and mutual respect, the Bhaiphontar Mela of Birhi plays an important role in promoting communal harmony and social cohesion. Kali Puja is one of the main fair or pujas of Bengalis. Bhaiphonta is celebrated just a day after Kali Puja. This date is called Bhatri-Dwitiya. Around this Bhaiphonta, a three-day fair is organized every year at Birhi Gopaltala, which is known as the Bhaiphontar Mela of Birhi. Where Hindus and Muslims of all castes and religions come together, and those who do not have children pour drops on the walls of the Gopal temple at the Gopal Tala in the hope of having a son and those who do not have a brother apply the mark of Sandalwood and Curd paste on the walls of the Gopal Mandir at the Gopal Tala of Birhi in the hope of having a brother. On Bhatri-Dwitiya day, everyone, regardless of caste or creed, applies the mark of Sandalwood and Curd paste on the walls of the Gopal temple, considering them as their brothers; this creates a sense of love and harmony, breaking communalism and creating an atmosphere of harmony. Here, no restrictions could be imposed on the people of the society, and if a Muslim family has a son, he is named Gopal. In addition, various events are held at the Gopal Mandir, such as the Dol Utsav, every day at four o’clock in the morning, Bhor Aarti is performed, afterwards sugar and butter are offered to Gopal, and in the morning, fruit and water is offered, in the afternoon a special food preparation known as Anya-Bhog is offered, and in the evening, water and sweets are offered for worship. There is no religious barrier; rather, people of all religions can be seen freely participating in every ritual. In a world where the headlines are riots, violence, oppression, and hatred of one religion towards another, the estranged Bhaiphonta Mela, which ignores all these and binds together in harmony, will be highlighted in the article under discussion. | ||
Keyword :
|