Boro Din
| Boro Din বড়দিন (Bengali) | |
|---|---|
 The group of students at the Christmas Parade on Park Street during the Kolkata Christmas Festival (KCF) in 2016 | |
| Observed by | Bengali Christians, many non-Christians Bengalis |
| Type | Christian, cultural, international |
| Significance | Commemoration of the nativity of Jesus Winter Solstice |
| Celebrations | Gift-giving, family and other social gatherings, symbolic decoration, feasting, Picnic |
| Observances | Church services |
| Date |
|
| Frequency | Annual |
Boro Din (Bengali: বড়দিন) also known as Khristmas (Bengali: খ্রিস্টমাস), is the traditional Bengali name for Christmas.[2] It is the biggest festival of the Bengali Christians.
History
[edit]Christianity was brought to Bangladesh in the 16th century by Portuguese traders and missionaries.[3] Christians in Bangladesh make up 0.03 percent of the population.[4]
Celebrations
[edit]Christians in Bangladesh give gifts to each other and visit others on Christmas. Christmas is a national holiday in Bangladesh. Kids receive money or toys from adults. People greet each other with Shubho Boro Din ('Greetings of the Great Day'). In rural areas, banana trees and leaves are used for decoration. In cities, common Christmas decorations include Christmas trees, banners and balloons. Special events are held in hotels and Christmas specials are shown on TV. Traditional foods include Christmas cake, pitha, and cookies.[3] Christians visit churches and make Christmas cakes. Churches are decorated with Christmas lights and a Christmas tree. Church choirs perform Bengali Christmas songs.[5] Church-held Christmas Eve feasts are called Preeti Bhoj and hymns are called Kirtan.[6]
Christmas is also increasingly celebrated by other religions in Bangladesh, especially in urban areas of the country.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "বড়দিন". The Indian Express. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "বড়দিন". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Christmas in Bangladesh". celebratingchristmas.co.uk. Celebrating Christmas. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ "Pope creates D'Rozario as 1st Bangladeshi cardinal". The Daily Star. AFP. 19 November 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ Das, Joyce. "Borodin – Christmas in Bangladesh". asiapacific.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ Rahman, Wafiur. "Celebrating Christmas in Bangladesh". Dhaka Courier. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
