Country’s people especially the youths today welcome the Pahela Falgun, the first day of the Spring in the Bengali month of Falgun amid coronavirus crisis across the globe.
On Sunday they bade farewell to the outgoing month of Magh with a fresh hope that a new sun will rise that will take away all sorrows, pains, and fears from the country and world as well after the dryness of winter.
And new leaves will be starting coming out again and the nature will be adorning the branches with new colorful flowers such as Krishnachura, Shimul, Polash and Marigold.
Besides, nature’s everything gives an impression of youthfulness and freshness as well, signaling the message of arrival of spring.
Colorful flowers, silky breeze, melody of birds and mild touch of the sunshine - everything are making people feel that springtime is the nature’s festival as it takes a new birth again.
Bengali people always love and enjoy the aroma of flowers.
Apart from Pahela Falgun, many people mostly young men and women across the country get excited and overwhelmed by the pressures of Valentine’s Day and everyone has their own plan to celebrate the day with their special someone.
Since 2020 Pahela Falgun is being coincided with Valentine’s Day on 14 February which has also become a major day in celebration of the festival-loving Bangalees especially the youths.
In 2019, Bangla Academy revised Bangla Calendar to match it with the Gregorian calendar aimed at observing the significant days in line with the historic background.
Therefore, the day is very special to the youths who wearing colorful panjabees, yellow dresses, flower-made ornaments and other traditional dresses will greet each other conveying their loves, passion and best wishes.
Besides, as it is a also a festival of romantic love as many young women and men will exchange roses, greeting cards, letters and other attractive gifts each other each other to win hearts marking the Valentine’s Day.
Apart from the capital Dhaka, people living in all metropolitan cities, district towns, upazila headquarters and even villages across the country will also celebrate the day with great joys and love, and in a colourful manner.
On this special occasion, they also wish this fresh month and Valentine’s Day will be blissful one that will be bringing new hopes, opportunities and joy.
After the all odds, diseases, frustration and darkness, people are confident that fresh lives start to come out again as spring arrives with blossom of flowers and new leaves in trees.
The nature is getting fresh and colorful shape that touches heart and minds of all ages of people and the spring wind will also blow away all sorrows, diseases and darkness.
But, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the nations to avoid any kind of public gatherings or extravaganza centering the Pahela Falgun and Valentine’s Day celebrations.
And this year would also witness a limited celebration as the government has already put several restrictions afresh to slow the spread of the highly-infectious Omicron variant of Covid-19.
The spring has been depicted as the king of all seasons in poetry for its extra-ordinary beauty of nature.
As the spring has sprung, the days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and the birds are getting louder.
The most romanticised bird in literature, the cuckoo’s songs also add a fresh message to the blossom of flowers, new leaves in trees, a breath of fresh air, new feelings, love and emotions.
Wearing red and white dresses, symbol of valentine day, young men and women will pass the whole day since morning to night with their loved ones in Dhaka University campus, Suhrawardy Udyan, Ramna Park and other open spaces in the city.
Famous excerpt of Subhash Mukhopadhyay “Phul phutuk na phutuk, aaj Boshonto” beautifully depicts the advent of Basanta Utsab.
“O Wind, If Winter comes, can spring be far behind?” English romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley described the arrival of spring in his famous poem ‘Ode to the West Wind’.
In his another poem he wrote: “And the spring arose on the garden fair/Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere, And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast/Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest”.