Photo Feature

The Life of the Mystical

The Dol Purnima is the last festival of the Bengali calendar and is celebrated with much fanfare all over Bangladesh. In Kushtia however, it is time for another festival, that of the spiritual. The five-day long Lalon Smaran Utsab commemorates the philosophy of the mystic poet Lalon. The festival was introduced by Lalon himself and after he passed away his devotees continue the tradition. Lalon devotees from far-flung places go to Chheuria, Kushtia, the birthplace of this spiritual fakir. They are often baul artistes who have abandoned worldly pleasures to embrace the life of an ascetic.

AMIRUL RAJIV