The Bengali New Year 1430 is just around the corner, and the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka is a hive of bustling activity. All hands are on deck as the preparations for the Mangal Shobhajatra are in full swing.

This year, it is the responsibility of batches 24 and 25 of the Faculty to spearhead the management of this grand event, under the supervision of the esteemed dean of the faculty, Professor Nisar Hossain.

As you step into the Fine Arts Faculty, you will be greeted with a dazzling sight of students crafting an array of shapes and forms using watercolours and acrylics right in front of the Zainul Gallery. You will see students deftly moulding clay into fish, peacocks, and birds, painting them in vibrant colours. Meanwhile, some are engrossed in drawing intricate motifs such as flowers and leaves.

In one of the rooms of the Zainul Gallery, another group of students is busy painting masks inspired by traditional folk forms. If you wander over to the other side of the Zainul Gallery, you will be delighted to find an array of exquisite artworks up for sale to the public. These stunning creations are sold to fund the upcoming Mangal Shobhajatra.

"This year's primary motif will be the child in the lap of the mother, and the nilgai, which symbolises peace and the disappearing animals of our country. The work on the major motifs is almost completed, and the procession's preparations are over," said Badhon Saha, one of the students of the Faculty.

The theme for this year's procession has been set as the first line of Rabindranath Tagore's popular song, 'Bariso dhara majhe shantir bari', which is apt as Mangal Shobhajatra is not just a procession but a celebration of Bengali culture and tradition, a symbol of hope, peace, and unity.

The Mangal Shobhajatra will start on April 14 at 9 AM from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.