Dozens of members of Greater Sudbury’s Bengali community came together at the Delki Dozzi Playground on April 18 to celebrate Bengali New Year.
Newly formed local musical group The Dot performed during the evening celebration, performing both Bengal songs and some English-language standards.
“In Sudbury, there is no Bengali band,” member Joy (no last name provided) told Sudbury.com during the event, adding that although they’ve only formed recently for the April 18 event, they hope to secure more gigs in the future.
Filling out the spaces were various Bengali dishes, including the sweet dishes of jelapi and egg pudding.
Eyenun Kona sold henna ink she made from scratch, which she said “to express their love and affection toward the colour, tradition and everything.”
At least, that’s what she uses the temporary tattoo medium to express.
It can be used to express many things, she said.
“Culturally, we are very diverse,” Kona said. “Bangladesh is a very diverse country.”
Originally from Bangladesh, Kona said that she came to Sudbury out of a love for winter and to earn her Master’s in Chemical Sciences at Laurentian University.
Although not Bangladeshi herself, EJ Hart hosted a booth for Punkt Piercing at the invitation of Kona, her close friend.
“I felt very grateful to have the opportunity to be here and support the Bangladeshi federation,” Hart said. She catered her booth as best she could to Bengali culture, and noted that certain piercings, including nostril and belly button, are culturally relevant.
The April 18 Bengali New Year (Pohela Boishakh) celebration was hosted by the Sudbury Bangladeshi Students Association and the Sudbury Bangladeshi Association of Canada.
“This festival marks the first day of the Bengali New Year and is widely celebrated as one of the most vibrant and culturally rich events in Bengali tradition,” Sudbury Bangladeshi Students Association communication co-ordinator Shamia Sultana said. “It is also the largest cultural festival for the Bengali community, known for its colorful and energetic celebrations that bring together people of all ages to celebrate heritage, unity and joy.”
Bengali New Year was technically on April 15 in India and April 14 in Bangladesh, which marks the beginning of the year 1433 in the Bengali lunar calendar.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
