"the year 1414"
Although the year 1414 is a date in our history books, for Bangladesh it has yet to be written. Today (April 14th, 2007) is the 1st day of the year 1414 according to the Bengali calender. As we welcome the new year, the nation unites in celebrations that are rich in culture and tradition. Joining in today's fun, I quickly learned that Bangladeshi's celebrate this holiday in a very specific way.
The first commonly practiced tradition starts at breakfast. Every family will enjoy Patta (day old rice soaked overnight in water) with a variety of dishes. Fried Hilsa fish (the national fish that is as rich in taste as it is in bones) and charred red chilies are among the favorites of traditional dishes. I was fortunate enough to eat this twice. Although I was skeptical on the safety of the food I am confident in the cleansing power of JESUS!
The next important tradition is specifically for women and requires careful selection from the wardrobe. A cotton Red and white or orange and white sharee is a must. I must say, seeing everyone wearing the same colors really added a sense of widespread unity to the day. Unfortunately, my maroon sharee didn't pass as red, but people were just happy that I was celebrating with them. Being a foreigner offers that certain grace. I did, however, get it right by decorating myself with fresh flowers and clay jewelry.
Bangladeshi's are never short of celebrations (this past month alone we've celebrated 4 special occasions), but this one was definitely set apart. As we welcome a new year, we look forward to the changes that will make this nation an even better place!
The first commonly practiced tradition starts at breakfast. Every family will enjoy Patta (day old rice soaked overnight in water) with a variety of dishes. Fried Hilsa fish (the national fish that is as rich in taste as it is in bones) and charred red chilies are among the favorites of traditional dishes. I was fortunate enough to eat this twice. Although I was skeptical on the safety of the food I am confident in the cleansing power of JESUS!
The next important tradition is specifically for women and requires careful selection from the wardrobe. A cotton Red and white or orange and white sharee is a must. I must say, seeing everyone wearing the same colors really added a sense of widespread unity to the day. Unfortunately, my maroon sharee didn't pass as red, but people were just happy that I was celebrating with them. Being a foreigner offers that certain grace. I did, however, get it right by decorating myself with fresh flowers and clay jewelry.
Bangladeshi's are never short of celebrations (this past month alone we've celebrated 4 special occasions), but this one was definitely set apart. As we welcome a new year, we look forward to the changes that will make this nation an even better place!
posted by Lindsay at 10:34 PM
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