Holi Celebration in Bangladesh 2011

Shankari Bazar in Dhaka is the main area where Holi celebrations take place in Bangladesh. The holi celebration in Bangladesh 2011 will showcase various cultural programs. Also known as the Festival of Colors, this festival is primarily celebrated by the Hindus in Bangladesh. However, the Muslims as well as people belonging to other religion equally enjoy the excitement and grandeur. They take part in the celebrations. This year too, similar customs and traditions will be observed in Bangladesh on the occasion of Holi.
Tantibazar is another place where the festival is celebrated. It is expected that celebration of this Spring Festival in 2011 will be more exciting and fun-filled. In 2010 and 2009, celebrations in different places across the country were limited due to the economic meltdown that affected the purchasing power of the individuals. However, the country has been able to emerge stronger after the economic showdown and people are excited about the celebrations. More number of cultural programs is expected to take place in 2011.
Bangladesh has several migrants from India and other countries. This has made the festival even more prominent in Bangladesh. The country has strong cultural influence of India. It shares its borders with Myanmar or Burma in the south east and has Bay of Bengal in the south.

How is Holi celebrated in Bangladesh

On the day of Holi people do the following things:-

• people meet in temples
• exchange sweets and gifts
• spray colored water
• colored powder on one another

Some of the commonly used colors are

• silver
• gold
• green paints

These are available as powder. They are mixed with water and the colored water is splashed on others. You can also expect your friends to do the same with you. At times, it is really hard to identify people who have their faces painted with colors. People fill color in balloons and burst it on the floors and walls. They also hit each other with balloons filled with colored water leaving paint on your clothes when they burst.
Houses are decorated with brightly colored lights, people dance with their friends, and make merry. They also worship God. After the Puja is done, “prashad” is distributed among all. People forget all the differences they have with their friends and peers and prefer to start afresh.
The Holi celebrations last for 2 days. The first day people usually play with powder colors called “abeer”. On the second day people play with water mixed with different colors. On the first day a bonfire known as “Holika” is burnt to mark the beginning of the festival of colors.

When will Holi celebration in Bangladesh 2011 take place

In 2011, it will be celebrated on March 19th and March 20th. If we go by the Hindu calendar it is usually observed on “Phalgun Purnima”. It falls towards the end of February or first few weeks of March. Spring Festival or Holi also indicates that spring has set in and you have to wait for one full year before winter will set in again.

Last Updated on 28/01/2011