Sohel Kanti Nath, Bandarban 

In a festive atmosphere, the Marma community—one of the prominent ethnic groups of the hill district Bandarban—celebrated their major religious and social festival, Sangrai.

 Thousands of hill people and Bengalis gathered to witness the grand finale of the week-long celebration. Not only locals, but tourists from different corners of the country as well as foreign visitors flocked to the hilly district to enjoy this vibrant event.

To bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new, the Marma community along with other indigenous hill groups have, since ancient times, observed this traditional celebration with various festivities. Although the Sangrai festival began on 13 April with a Mongol Shobhajatra (auspicious procession), the main rituals of the Marma community officially started on 14 April with the ceremonial bathing of the Buddha statue at the banks of the Sangu River in Ujani Para of the town. From that point onward, various religious observances such as worship at Buddhist temples, Choaiing Dan (offering), lighting of thousands of lamps, and special prayers continued.

On 15 April, traditional wrestling, oil-smeared bamboo climbing, tug-of-war by young women, pillow fights, and other folk sports were held at Raja Math (King’s Ground). On the final day of the Sangrai festival, Friday  afternoon, a water festival and cultural events took place at Raja Math.

 During the water festival, Marma youths splashed water on each other as a symbolic cleansing of the sins and griefs of the past year. Simultaneously, traditional Marma cultural performances, dances, and pala gaan (folk singing) were showcased.

Chief guest of the event was Supradeep Chakma, advisor to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs. Other notable guests included representatives of the European Union such as Dr. Thomas Oberreit, Head of Mission, EU Delegation, Mr. Robert Green, Cultural Attaché, Dr. Lisa Werner, Advisor, Mr. Charles Whitman, as well as Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Kangkan Chakma, Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ara Rini, Police Superintendent Shahidullah Kawsar, and Commander of Bandarban Army Zone SM Mahmudul Hasan. Thousands of hill people and Bengalis, men and women alike, were present at the event.

Meanwhile, surrounding the celebrations, Raja Math transformed into a festival city, with the participation of people from different religions and ethnicities, and tourists from across the country and abroad.

This year’s week-long Sangrai celebration of the Marmas included communal prayers, a three-day-long water festival, traditional cake making, Buddha statue bathing, lighting of thousands of lamps, elder worship, and a variety of cultural programs and the Sangrai fair, filled with age-old dances and songs.