Unique cultural aspects of Birbhum that are worth exploring! – panthashala

panthashala

Just another WordPress site

Unique cultural aspects of Birbhum that are worth exploring!

Unique cultural aspects_BLOG BANNER 2a

West Bengal is full of diversities. From the mighty Himalayas in the North to Bay of Bengal in the South – the state is also blessed with plateaus, forests and plain land. Though Shantiniketan being the intellectual capital for Bengalis and art enthusiasts around the world is the main attraction of Birbhum, the state has its own unique charm and cultural significance. Panthashala is one of the best family hotels in Shantiniketan from where you can explore different parts of Birbhum and learn about its many cultural aspects. Visva Bharati University a place Birbhum boasts of and Panthashala will give you a home stay experience near Visva Bharati.

Birbhum is one of the oldest-formed districts that is popularly known as ‘The Land of Red Soil’. From prehistoric times to the modern era – ruled by different dynasties and remnants of different civilizations add profound historical importance to this place. Along with serene rural beauty, it is also the land of notable poets and authors. Different temples and folklores, unique fairs and festivals, food culture – all contribute to some of its greatest cultural aspects.

Bauls of Birbhum:

Bauls belong to a community of mendicant mystics, who express their spiritual beliefs primarily through their powerful, full-throated, high-pitched singing accompanied by a musical instrument named ‘ektara’. Many scholars believe that the word ‘Baul’ came from Sanskrit ‘vatul’ which means divine lunatic. Their belief system primarily combines elements of Sufi and Vaishnav philosophy. Begging for alms or ‘madhukori’ is part of their creed which is a philosophy that teaches them to earn just as much as one is required to keep body and soul together.

Festivals of Birbhum:

Though ‘Poush Mela’ and ‘Basanta Utshab’ are the most popular festivals of Birbhum, every season here brings its own colours and beauties with various festivals. Rabindra Jayanti denotes the birth anniversary of Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore that is celebrated in Baisakh, the first month of Bengali calendar.  Durga Puja and Kali Puja is celebrated in Ashvin while Aghrayan sees Nabanna. Apart from these, Vriksha-Ropan (tree planting festival) and Halakarshan (plough festival) pioneered by Tagore is a part of an annual environmental awareness campaign, which continues in Shantiniketan till date. Barsha Mangal is celebrated in the month of July-August for the advent of the rainy season.

Tribals of Birbhum:

Birbhum is one of the tribal-dominated districts of West Bengal and known for its rich tribal cultural heritage. It is also home to one of the largest homogeneous tribal communities of India – Santhals. Santhals were hunter-gatherers who used to clear forests for agriculture. They live in a community and all their ceremonies centre around the community. They love dancing and use it as a way to express themselves. They also perform dance for the tourists where the men beat the drums and women dance in the line sequence wearing saree.

Food of Birbhum:

Food is also very much a part of any culture. Apart from authentic Bengali food, Birbhum is famous for its unique sweets and pickles. Mecha Sandesh, a variation of BesanLaddu dipped in sugar syrup is a speciality here. It can be kept safely for 15 days outside a refrigerator. Morobba made of various vegetable/fruit items preserved in a sugar base is also a famous sweet dish of Birbhum. You can get belermorabba, chalkumrormorabba (known as petha in Agra), satamulirmorabba, amlokirmorabba in different sweet meat shops.