Is Pahela Baishakh a Popular Culture or Capitalist Culture in Bangladesh? A Comparative Study

Abstract

This paper explores the various forms and styles of Pahela Baishakh celebrations among different socioeconomic classes in both rural and urban areas of Bangladesh, investigating whether it is an expression of popular culture or capitalist culture. Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year, positions out as the most old-style and protruding cultural carnival in Bangladesh. According to Ahmed (2007a), Pahela Baishakh is the “biggest cultural festival of the Bengalis” and represents a “dynamic manifestation of popular culture in the urban context, and it is a living tradition of great significance” (p. 521). Although it is not a religious festival, it is widely embraced and celebrated by the majority. “To every Bengali, irrespective of age, social strata, and education, Pahela Baishakh is a momentous occasion” (Ahmed, 2007a, p. 521). A key feature of Pahela Baishakh is its nature as a common and social carnival. “Such a festival, which is not based on religion but still universal, is rare in the world” (Mamoon, 2014, para. 38). Pahela Baishakh aids as a medium for indorsing Bengali cultural individuality (Kratoska, Raben, and Nordholt, 2005; as cited in Shabnam, Ramkissoon, & Choudhury, 2019). The tradition is so deeply rooted in Bengali life that even the diaspora celebrates it in a similar fashion abroad (Alexander, 2019). There are notable differences in the celebration of Pahela Baishakh today. While the elite often celebrate it corporately, common people continue to observe it in their traditional ways. This study employs cultural and anthropological theories, along with a qualitative approach that involves analyzing and interpreting texts and events, to explore these differences.