Shakrain

Shakrain Festival (Bengali: সাকরাইন; also known as Kite festival and Ghuri Utsob) is an annual celebration in Dhaka, Bangladesh, observed with the flying of kites.[1] It occurs at the end of Poush, the ninth month of the Bengali calendar (January 14 or 15 in Gregorian calendar).[1] This day is known as Poush Sangkranti (Bengali: পৌষ সংক্রান্তি; End of Poush).

Shakrain Festival
Fire work during the festival
Also calledPoush Sangkranti
TypeTraditional
DateJanuary 14 or 15

Shakrain Festival is one of the oldest annual festivals of Bangladesh. It's famous and a very important event in Bangladeshi culture. It is the symbol of unity and friendship in Bangladesh.

Events

Shakrain is celebrated mostly around the southern part of Dhaka city.[1][2] As part of the celebration, colourful kites are flown high from the rooftops around the area in the afternoon.[1][3] It often takes the form of kite fighting, in which participants try to snag each other's kites or cut other kites down.[3]

When night falls, fireworks light up the sky of old Dhaka. Flame-eaters also gather on the roofs to entertain people with their skills of manipulating fire.[1] Music awakens the whole town, while people keep dancing from their hearts. Bringing thousands of people together to compete and have fun, it is an occasion and a day every youngsters wait eagerly for.

Where to buy the kites and fireworks from?

There are two places to buy kites and fireworks from. When it comes to kites, the best place to go would be Shakari Bazar. There you would get the beautifully designed kites for as low as Tk 10.

Buying fireworks without authorization is strictly prohibited. However, if you do have an authorization, it is always best to buy these from Chawk Bazar. You can also get fireworks from Shankhari Bazaar, but they would be almost twice as expensive.

  • Firework during the festival
  • Firework during the festival

See also

References
  1. "Shakrain festival". The Daily Star. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  2. "The Kite Festival". The Daily Sun. 20 January 2012.
  3. "Kite Festival during Makar Sankranti". Demotix. 15 January 2012.


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