Branding Bangladesh in Tourism

There are almost 35 indigenous groups in Bangladesh. Each of the ethnic groups has its own cultural repertoire. Orao is one of the indigenous communities who live in the northern region of Bangladesh. They have their own way of leading life with lots of cultural diversity. Orao celebrate the New Year in the Bangla month of Fagun. To celebrate the new look of spring, new fruit, new flower and New Year, Orao organizes the Fagua Festival. They observe the day by coloring their minds with the vivacious colors of the spring. They start the New Year with great enthusiasm forgetting the sorrows of the past.

The Orao community mostly lives in Chapainawabganj. So, in this district, the festival takes a special look. People from other places of the country also attend the festival in a befitting manner. People from other indigenous community like Santal, Munda and Pahali also join the festival. The festival starts with street procession. Then people worship the nature and at last dance and singing program make the festival electric. Men, women and children start dancing with the bits of drum without waiting long for the dance on the stage. As time goes on, they start playing holi (a game of throwing colors on each other). People sell different kinds of sweets, handicrafts etc in the fair.

Fagua Festival is a distinct one for the Orao people who are bearing their cultural heritage through generations to make their feelings on nature alive for thousands of years.