Bangla Mela

Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA) celebrated a colorful, joyous, participatory, and cross-cultural ‘Pohela Boishakh‘ (Bangla New Year) in New York. Bangladeshi community participated in a block parade and enjoyed a cultural event afterward to taste ‘Bangla Noboborsho‘ in New York. Hundreds of children, young, and adults marched several blocks of Astoria/Long Island City with flags, banners, festoons, ‘dhol,’ ‘kashor‘, ‘palki,’ and lots of jingles.

The parade was noticed and welcomed by many ethnic communities, from real-life delivery man to poster-size Run DMC! New York City Council Member Daniel Dromm lead the parade with Bangladeshi community leaders. Not a moment Annie Ferdous failed to motivate the marching trope with her chorus of exhilarating slogans. The whole marching party was something to do on a beautiful sunny Sunday. Even without the NYPD escort, the parade was safe, peaceful, and disciplined. BIPA planned a day-long Bangla New Year festival with a street fair, youth singing competition, children’s entertainment, dance, music, recitation, awards, etc. It was packed with attendees, filled with excitement, and grabbed with attention.

Practicing Bangladeshi culture abroad is accessible to the Bangladeshi community; however, persistently practicing it in their adopted country is a different ballgame. Bangladeshis love their own culture. They need a gathering place, a few friends/family, food, and appreciation to indulge themselves with Bangla songs and poetry. However, it is hard if someone dares to do it for a longer time, with increasing audiences, in an inclusive way, and with reputation. Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA) has been at the forefront of keeping Bangladeshi culture alive in the USA since 1993. The organization has been promoting and spreading Bangla culture by teaching the new generation of Bangladeshi kids, organizing events, reaching out to elected officials, and embracing multicultural aspects of American cultural life.

To care for Bangladeshi culture in the USA, BIPA has set forth several aims: First, teach the Bangla language to the new generation of Bangladeshi Americans; Second, patronage local Bangladeshi artists and act as a platform to showcase their talents; Third, build a bridge between Bangladeshi and other ethnic communities of USA through cultural exchanges.

Among all the aims, cross-cultural exchange among communities seems to be the most essential activity of BIPA in a larger context. At the event, this characteristic of BIPA was in full display when BatalaNYC, an Afro-Brazilian Samba Reggae group, was invited to perform some heart-pounding drumming! Colors of the Wind, a Chinese folk dance group of full-time mothers, performed popular oriental fan dance. Kathak Ensemble presented classical Indian Kathak dance, and Sri Lankan Dance Academy of New York showed their traditional Sri Lankan dance. Cross-cultural exchange through active participation is very important both for the Bangladeshi community and other communities. Indeed, it seemed like the audience was more attentive and intrigued by their performances!

The new generation of Bangladeshi Americans – Jersey Wave and The Feringhees – played band music. Students of BIPA performed several theme-based dances and music. Enough ice creams were licked. Hungry folks enjoyed Bangladeshi food. Shoppers purchased their favorite clothes and jewelry. The audience was interested. Children were laughing, running, and playing hide and seek everywhere. An excellent Bangladeshi Mela!

So what was absent? Only two things were missing at the event – a Bangladeshi river and some good clapping from the audience. Bringing a river to the audience may be nearly impossible, but supporting and motivating Bangladeshi kids and non-Bangladeshi guest performers with vigorous clapping should not be so difficult for the viewers.

Now, please, ladies and gentlemen, thank the Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts for successfully organizing another delightful Bangla New Year in New York and for their excellent work around the year.

Councilman Brad Lander and Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer sponsored the BIPA Bangla New Year Festival.