Nazrul Islam

Bullock-cart race is the oldest traditional competition of Bangladesh, which is indissolubly linked with Bangladeshi culture. People of south-western zone mainly Khulna and Jessore district arrange the competition after harvesting the seasonal crops. Initially the competition starts after the rainy season.People from different corners of the country come with their bullock-carts to attend the competition. Carters come very early in the morning to the competition ground. First of all every carter has to register their name to the managing committee by giving a certain entry fee. The entry fee may be 100 to 200 Tk. Per entrant. The carter take care their bulls very genteelly before the race begins. They use stringed to utter some tantras (mantras) for their bulls as their bulls may be strong and may use their definite direction on the truck. It is said that, if evil mantras are uttered (which is called ‘Ban Mara’), the bull may changed their direction and may not be the winner.  A village fair was arranged for the bullock-cart race where thousands of people are gathered. Hundreds of bullock-carts are gathered to attend the competition. Each bullock-cart has two carters. A referee maintains the competition. The bullock-carts are started after the signal from the referee. Then the bulls run and run. The spectators clapping and the bullock-carts are running faster and faster. Each carter uses a stick to bit the bull. A small iron pin is attached to the head of the stick to give more pain to the bulls as the run faster. Even some carters bite the tail of their bulls to be faster. At last the finishing point is appeared, where a rope is tided with long bamboos. One carter of each cart has to touch the rope by their stick by standing on the cart for winning touch.  
After the race a prize giving ceremony is arranged, where colour TV, DVD player, cassette player, radio, cow, goat and other different things are given as pizes. Even cash is also given. Among the spectators the women are huge. They enjoyed the race and the fair very delightfully. The race is very delightful for the young kids. A lot of different kinds of toys are sold in the fair for children. However, the competition and the fair are very enjoyable and peaceful for all local people. As a result, this occasion is the part ad parcel of our traditional culture.      

Registration of carters

The stringed

The start Point

Bullock-cart race

 Women Spectator

Toy stall

Finishing point

Return of carter

'Charak' puja is celebrated by Hindu religious in the Samkranti tithi at the last day of the Bengali month Chaitra. It is one of the most popular festivals among the Hindu communities of Bangladesh and West Bengal. Charak is the worship of Lord Shiva and Sakti. Basically Charak is dedicated to penance and is worshipped for offsprings, wealth and sometimes for cure of disease. 
Part of the ritual that is essential to this religious festivity is the necessity of enduring physical pain. People climbiing Date tree as a Ckarak Tree which is full of thorns. Miraculously the devotees feel no pain or endure if any injury. 
The spinning devotee hands out 'prasad' (handmade sweetmeats blessed with chants) among the curious spectators and onlookers. Besides Hindus, people from other religious beliefs also gather at the puja. Though the festival takes place on the mid night of Chaitra Samkranti, the preparation phase usually starts from one month ago. The devotees also fast on the day before the puja. The British government had outlawed this practice in 1865 but it is still very much prevalent in the rural areas. 
A fair is associated with the puja where people from different castes and communities come to celebrate this event of social coherence and co-operation. The festival not only reflects the blind faith of the devotees but also the eagerness to accept penance on the road to achieve salvation.Charak Puja of Hindu religious. Some people are climbing a date tree and some are praying under the tree. Hindu communities arrange this puja every year to pray God Shivha to protect people and the Earth from evil companies. It is traditional occasion of Hindu communities. Huge people gathering in the festival. April 11, 2008, Batiaghata, Khulna, Bangladesh.  

 People are comming

 Emotion of people

Climbing of Date tree

Gathering of huge people