শীতের পিঠা-পুলি বাঙালির আদি খাদ্যসংস্কৃতির অংশ। বাংলার চিরায়ত লোকজ খাদ্যসংস্কৃতিতে পিঠা-পায়েস একটি বিশেষ স্থান দখল করে আছে। প্রতিবছরই শীতকালে দেশজুড়ে পিঠা তৈরির ব্যস্ততা চোখে পড়ে। বিশেষ করে গ্রামাঞ্চলে বাড়িতে বাড়িতে ধুম পড়ে যায় পিঠা বানানোর। কুয়াশাচ্ছন্ন ভোর বা সন্ধ্যায় গাঁয়ের বধূরা চুলোর পাশে বসে পিঠা তৈরিতে কাটান ব্যস্ত সময়। অতিথি বিশেষ করে জামাইদের দাওয়াত করে পিঠা খাওয়ানো হয়। গ্রামের পাশাপাশি শহরেও পাওয়া যায় শীতের পিঠার সুবাস। রাস্তায় রাস্তায় পিঠা বানিয়ে বিক্রি করেন বিক্রেতারা।

শতাধিক ধরনের পিঠার প্রচলন রয়েছে বাংলাদেশে। কালের গভীরে কিছু হারিয়েও গেছে। কিছু আবার নতুন আঙ্গিকে তৈরির পর পরিবেশিত হচ্ছে।
বাংলাদেশের একেক অঞ্চলে রয়েছে একেক রকম পিঠা। দেশের উত্তরাঞ্চলে পিঠার যে ধরন, তার থেকে আলাদা ধরনের মধ্যাঞ্চলের পিঠা। দক্ষিণ-পশ্চিম অঞ্চলের পিঠা কিংবা পূর্বাঞ্চলের পিঠার মধ্যেও রয়েছে আলাদা আলাদা বৈশিষ্ট্য। আবার একই পিঠা একেক এলাকায় একেক নামে পরিচিত! যেমন তেল পিঠাকে উত্তরবঙ্গের অনেক এলাকায় বলে পাকান পিঠা। বাংলাদেশে ১৫০ বা তার বেশি রকমের পিঠা থাকলেও মোটামুটি ৩০ ধরনের পিঠা বেশি প্রচলিত। ভাপা পিঠা, নকশি পিঠা, চিতই পিঠা, রস পিঠা, ডিম চিতই পিঠা, দোল পিঠা, পাটিসাপটা পিঠা, পাকান, আন্দসা, কাটা পিঠা, ছিটা পিঠা, গোকুল পিঠা, চুটকি পিঠা, মুঠি পিঠা, জামদানি পিঠা, হাঁড়ি পিঠা, চাপড়ি পিঠা, পাতা পিঠা, বিবিখানা, চুটকি, চাঁদ পাকান, সুন্দরী পাকান, সরভাজা, পুলি, পানতোয়া, মালপোয়া, মেরা পিঠা, মালাই, কুশলি, ক্ষীরকুলি, গোলাপ ফুল, লবঙ্গ লতিকা, ঝালপোয়া, ঝুরি, ঝিনুক, সূর্যমুখী, নারকেলি, সিদ্ধপুলি, ভাজা পুলি, দুধরাজ ইত্যাদি কত কত ধরনের যে পিঠা!
চালের গুঁড়া, নারকেল, খেজুরের গুড় দিয়ে বানানো হয় ভাপা পিঠা। গোল আকারের এ পিঠা পাতলা কাপড় দিয়ে পেঁচিয়ে ঢাকনা দেয়া হাঁড়ির ফুটন্ত পানিতে ভাপ দিয়ে তৈরি করা হয়। এ কারণেই এর নাম ভাপা পিঠা। গুড় গোলানো চালের আটা তেলে ছেড়ে দিয়ে যে পিঠা তৈরি করা হয়, তার নাম তেল পিঠা। চালের গুঁড়া পানিতে গুলিয়ে মাটির হাঁড়িতে বিশেষ উপায়ে তৈরি করা হয় চিতই পিঠা। অতি সাধারণ এই পিঠাটি গুড় বা ঝাল শুঁটকি ভর্তা দিয়ে খেতে খুবই মজা। এই চিতই পিঠাকেই সারা রাত দুধে বা গুড়ের রসে ভিজিয়ে তৈরি দুধ চিতই বা রস পিঠা। আরেকটি চমত্কার পিঠা হলো নকশি পিঠা। এই পিঠার গায়ে বিভিন্ন ধরনের নকশা আঁকা হয় বা ছাঁচে ফেলে পিঠাকে নানা রকম নকশার আদলে তৈরি করা হয় বলেই এ পিঠার এমন নাম। নকশি পিঠা তৈরির জন্য প্রথমে আতপ চালের গুঁড়া বা আটা সেদ্ধ করে মণ্ড তৈরি করা হয়। এই মণ্ড বেলে মোটা রুটির মতো তৈরি করে তার ওপর চাঁদ, তারা, মাছ, গাছ, ফুল, লতাপাতা ইত্যাদির নকশা করা হয়। হাতের বদলে ছাঁচ দিয়ে পিঠাতে নকশা আঁকা হয়। ছাঁচগুলো সাধারণত মাটি, পাথর, কাঠ বা ধাতু দিয়ে তৈরি হয়। এসব ছাঁচের ভেতর দিকে নকশা আঁকা থাকে। রস পাকান তৈরি হয় শুকনো সুজি, ডিম আর চিনি দিয়ে। সারা দেশেই কুলি পিঠা বেশ জনপ্রিয়।
গুড় দিয়ে তৈরি হালকা বাদামি অথবা চিনির তৈরি সাদা রঙের পাটিসাপটা আরেকটি সুস্বাদু পিঠা। পাটিসাপটা শুধু শীতকালেই নয়, আজকাল সারা বছরই বিভিন্ন ফাস্টফুডের দোকানে পাওয়া যায়। মালপোয়া আর ঝিকিমিকি পিঠা বানানো হয় চালের গুঁড়া আর চিনি দিয়ে। নকশি পিঠার মতো দেখতে ফুল পিঠা। কিন্তু নকশি পিঠার চেয়ে কিছুটা নরম হয় এই পিঠা। শীতকালে বিভিন্ন ধরনের পিঠার সঙ্গে পায়েস ও ক্ষীরেরও রয়েছে অন্য রকম আবেদন।
গ্রামাঞ্চলে শীতের পিঠা তৈরিকে যেমন উত্সব হিসেবে গণ্য করা হয় সে তুলনায় শহরে খুব কমই চোখে পড়ে পিঠা-পুলির বাহার। তবে ইদানীং বিভিন্ন প্রতিষ্ঠান কর্তৃক আয়োজিত শীতের পিঠা উত্সব সাড়া ফেলে দেয় শহুরে জীবন। এছাড়া শহরের পথে-ঘাটে বা ফুটপাতে পিঠা কেনাবেচা হয় পুরো শীতকালজুড়েই।

River gypsies in Bangladesh

River gypsies are an ethnic group in Bangladesh.They are known as bedey to local people.The gypsies have their own lifestyle and culture.They live in groups and do not own any land.Therefore,they live a nomadic life travelling from one place to another.These people roam across our rivers and waters from May to December in small country boats.These boats are their houses and these people are a part of our waters.In winter,many waterbodies dry up.At that time they return to the mainland and live in make-shift tarpaulin tents on open river banks.You can see their men relaxing in the tents.Toddlers play with dogs or other pets in the dust.Women often idle away time by hair doing,picking off lice in twos or threes sitting in a row.

Throughout the monsoon,they remain busy with fishing.They also dive for natural pearls in waters.Sometimes,they camp for a couple of weeks.Men catch snakes and entertain people with snake charming and sell herbal cures.Women go from door to door to sell bangles,cosmetics and other things.They also try to heal pains of old people often by sucking out blood from their body. Many villagers believe in the magical power of the gypsies.They can an evil spirit leave someone’s body by magic or special Powers.

Rural bengali folk music

Rural bengali folk music:
Folk music consists of songs and music of a community that are uninfluenced by any sophisticated musical rules or any standard music styles. Bangladesh has a heritage of rich folk music which includes both religious and secular songs.Folk music may be described as that type of ancient music which springs from the heart of a community, based on their natural style of expression uninfluenced by the rules of classical music and modern popular songs. Any mode or form created by the combination of tune, voice and dance may be described as music. Thus, the combination of folk song, folk dance and folk tune may be called folk music. For example, Baul songs are a combination of tune, music and dance.
Folk music has the following characteristics:
(i) It is composed by rural folk on the basis of ancient rules transmitted orally; (ii) These ancient rules of music have not been influenced by classical or modern music; (iii) Folk songs may be sung in groups or individually; (iv) No regular practice is required for folk music; (v) It is composed and performed by illiterate or semi-literate people; (vi) It is a spontaneous expression in easy language, local dialect, and simple tune; (vii) Both words and tune are appealing; (viii) despite its universal appeal it uses local dialect; (ix) It depends upon nature and the rural environment; (x) It is an explicit manifestation of the joys and sorrows of daily life; (xi) It uses simple and natural rhythms; (xii) It contains a strong emotive expression of human love and separation.

In Bangladesh folk music has great variety, with songs being composed on the culture, festivals, views of life, natural beauty, rivers and rural and riverine life. These songs are also about social inequality and poverty, about the material world and the supernatural. Mystical songs have been composed using the metaphors of rivers and boats. Since the country is basically riverine, the Bhatiyali forms an important genre of folk music. Folk music is formed and develops according to the environment. Differences in the natural environment are reflected in the people of the different regions. The dialects too vary across the different regions. Bangladeshi folk music therefore varies from region to region. Thus there are the northern Bhawaiya, the eastern Bhatiyali and the southwestern Baul songs.The culture and the lifestyle of the different tribes have also influenced folk music. Tribes like the Santal, Garo, Hajong, Chakma, Manipuri, Tripuri, Marma etc. have interacted with ethnic Bengali culture and lifestyle over the years. The interaction has been clearly reflected in the richness of folk music. Folk songs may be sung individually or in chorus. Folk songs sung individually include Baul, Bhatiyali, Murshidi and Marfati, while songs sung in chorus include Kabigan, Leto, Alkap and Gambhira. Some songs are regional in character, but others are common to both Bangladesh and West Bengal. Similarly, some songs belong distinctively to one religious community, Hindu or Muslim; others cross religious boundaries. Some songs belong exclusively to men, others to women, while some are sung by both men and women. Thus only women compose and sing Bratagan and Meyeli Git, but both men and women participate in the Ôroof-beatingÕ songs that are sung while beating down and firming rooftops.

Rural bengali puppet show

Rural bengali puppet show:

The thousand-year-pantomime
Search section theatre History
'Puppet' origin and traditions bear its witness.
Various data and vision review the pantomime history.After the creation of Pakistan (1947) traditional uniform Bengal
Puppet show get hampered.They announced that puppet show is a Hinduani culture,so it must stop.
As a result, a vacuum is created in puppet show.In the meantime, some Muslims spread the form of puppet show in the Villages. This village people welcome this egarly. But people in recent, increasingly self-centered and affected with lonely and laziness.Sitting at home various things of world can see on the television screen.People are increasingly enjoy puppet show alone or together for rejoice and enjoy.However, the traditional puppet show suffering various problems, worst.While there is absolutely struggling on pantomime journey.

Researchers say that,educated people neglect pantomime,and because of neglect pantomime our glorious pantomime went to evaporate. But still not stop pantomime.More than 50 pantomime group in our country works for the recreation.Dolls laugh,sing,cry like a man. Rupabhana, Mahua,Sagarabhasa, honest character are shown on a puppet show.It shows the instant event. Ksirera Wires, cables, wires, glove puppet and thread puppet drawn a crowd of dancing diversity has appeared before.Snake charmers dance, Manasa, float,Sundorbon honey gatherers, Feller,goal pata collector Fisherman livelihood,reading the lives of the people killed by tiger all of the things uncover puppet divinity. Social awareness work behind puppet show.A team in a pantomime are a carpenter, a colleague, the mechanic, and a decorator.

Rural bengali traditional stick game

Rural bengali traditional stick game:
One play drums and sticks, on the other hand, the opponent attempts to trick against the name of the game with a stick in a stressful game. When you start playing this game at the moment, hundreds of spectators gathered at the place. History of the stick game:
Stick game is a traditional martial art practiced in some areas of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.Stick and drum combinations has transformed the game. Stick game teaches self-defense with a stick. Undivided Bengal during the British rule landlords (East Bengal and West Bengal) had given employment to the stick player for the safety.For the seizure of land people are still fighting with sticks. Muharram, Eid Puja and many other observance the player show their strength and courage.
Rules and equipment of the stick game:
The stick used to play four or five feet long, and is often oily. With stunning strategies and tactics with each player shows their respective staffs. Only strong young person can take part in the game,but children and old men of all ages take part in the game.During Puja and many other occasion “stick game” exhibit in the southern part of West Bengal in India.Cornet, rattles, etc are used to wake you with music and dance shows. Stick game is a traditional game industry in this country.Bangla new year,casual bengali festival, weddings,etc occasion stick game has been organized by the village people. The team hired is usually called Lathiyala.
Type of Stick game:
There are different types of stick game.One of her. - Saraki game, pemchaya play, robbers game, Banu game, baoi brag (battle group), nari Bari (mock battle with a stick) and let the game play (mock fight with a sharp weapon), etc.

Pohela Boishakh,The Bengali New Year

Pohela Boishakh,The Bengali New Year:

Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated on 14 April in Bangladesh and on 15 April in the Indian state of West Bengal by the Bengali people and also by minor Bengali communities in other Indian states, including Assam, Jharkhand and Orrisa. It coincides with the New Year's days of numerous Southern Asian calendars like Tamil new year Puthandu. The traditional greeting for Bengali New Year is "Shubhô Nôbobôrsho" which is literally "Happy New Year".
The Bengali New Year begins at dawn, and the day is marked with singing, processions, and fairs. Traditionally, businesses start this day with a new ledger, clearing out the old.

People of Bangladesh enjoy a national holiday on Poila Boishakh. All over the country people can enjoy fairs and festivals. Singers perform traditional songs welcoming the new year. People enjoy classical jatra plays.

Like other festivals of the region, the day is marked by visiting relatives, friends and neighbors. People prepare special dishes for their guests.

The festivities from the deep heartland of Bengal have now evolved to become vast events in the cities, especially the capital Dhaka.

In Dhaka and other large cities, the festivals begin with people gathering under a big tree. People also find any bank of a lake or river to witness the sunrise. Artists present songs to welcome the new year, particularly with Rabindranath Tagore's well-known song "Esho, he Boishakh".

People from all spheres of life wear classic Bengali dress. Women wear saris with their hair bedecked in flowers. Likewise, men prefer to wear panjabis. A huge part of the festivities in the capital is a vivid procession organized by the students and teachers of Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.

Of the major holidays celebrated in Bangladesh and West Bengal, only Pôila Boishakh comes without any preexisting expectations. Unlike Eid ul-Fitr and Durga Pujo, where dressing up in lavish clothes has become a norm, or Christmas where exchanging gifts has become an essential part, Pôila Boishakh is about celebrating the simpler, rural heartland roots of the Bengal.

Poila Boishakh is celebrated with grandeur and colours in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh. The celebrations are started at the break of dawn with a rendition of Rabindranath Tagore's song "Esho he Baishakh" by Chhayanat under the banyan tree at Ramna (the Ramna Batamul). An integral part of the festivities is the Mongol Shobhajatra, a traditional colourful procession organised by the students of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka (Charukala). The procession has a different theme relevant to the country's culture and politics every year. Different cultural organizations and bands also perform on this occasion and fairs celebrating Bengali culture are organized throughout the country. Other traditional events held to celebrate Poila Boishakh include bull racing in Munshiganj, wrestling in Chittagong, boat racing, cockfights, pigeon racing.

Source:en.wikipedia.org

The culture of Bengal

The culture of Bengal:
The culture of Bengal tells cultures in the Bengal region, which today consists of the independent nation of Bangladesh, and the Indian state of West Bengal. The two geographical entities share many cultural traits which root from their historical
association.