The traditional festival of old Dhaka—Sakrain, also known as Poush Sankranti or the kite festival—was celebrated Wednesday. 

This day marks the end of the Bangla month of Poush. Each year, the Sakrain festival is observed on the concluding day of Poush.

In celebration of Sakrain, kites were flown during daylight hours, whereas in the evening, various regions of Old Dhaka hosted fireworks, fire displays, and laser light shows. 

The rooftops of residential buildings were adorned with vibrant lights, while the night sky was illuminated by multicolored flying lanterns. In addition, musical performances were organized on rooftops and in open areas.

Sound systems, decorative lighting, laser displays, and illumination installations have been established on rooftops within and surrounding the neighborhoods of Shankharibazar, Tantibazar, Banglabazar, Sutrapur, and Lalbagh in the historic part of Dhaka. People from different parts of Dhaka thronged the old city to celebrate the festival.

The primary highlight of Sakrain is the kite-flying and kite-fighting competition. Throughout the day, from morning until evening, the skies above Old Dhaka were vibrant with kite-fighting activities. 

Shops in Shankharibazar have seen a spike in sales of kites of all shapes and sizes on this particular occasion. 

Available kites encompass Superman, China, checkered, eagle, rocket, star, tekka, love-shaped, and numerous other varieties. Prices of individual kites range from TK 10 to TK 500, while kite packages including reels are priced between TK 100 and TK 1,000. Additionally, depending on quality, kite strings were sold at prices ranging from TK 80 to TK 3,000.

Local residents stated that preparations for the Sakrain festival commence several weeks prior to the event. Shopkeepers in particular continued to diligently produce kites and lanterns in preparation for the celebration.

Lalbagh resident Wahiduzzaman Mashfi said, “The real joy of Sakrain lies in flying kites. All members of our family gather on the rooftop to fly kites together. Cutting others’ kites is our main goal, so we bought many kites. At the same time, we have arranged music on our rooftop to mark Sakrain.”

Raisha Islam, a resident of Shingtola, said, “I was born and grew up in old Dhaka. On the occasion of Sakrain, various types of pitha and food are prepared at our home. There is also music on the rooftop at night. Friends of mine come from faraway places to visit us during Sakrain. It is truly a unique festival.”

Source: BSS