The five-day celebration of Bengalee culture featured music and dance performances as well as a host of fun activities at Bengal House, Port Dickson.
VISITORS to the Bengalee Cultural Festival held in Port Dickson had the opportunity to learn more about Malaysia’s lesser-known Bengalee community, its heritage and traditions.
The festival, which included food bazaar, film screenings, cultural performances and heritage, culture, art and antiques exhibitions took place at Bengal House along Jalan Pantai.
Some 250 people attended the five-day event organised by Malaysian Bengalee Association (MBA) with support from Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.
The festival was launched by Deputy Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Subashini Narayanan, who applauded MBA for doing its part to preserve and promote Bengalee culture in Malaysia.
Visitors being treated to traditional Bengalee cuisine at the festival.
“Bengalee culture is vibrant, proud and has so much to offer, whether it is the verses of Nobel Prize-winning poet and writer Rabindranath Tagore or Kazi Nasrul Islam, folk drama presentations like jatra, the award-winning films of Satyajit Ray, the modern art of Abanindranath Tagore or Jamini Roy, folk music or Bengalee sweets.
“Bengalee festivals throughout the year, including Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Kali Puja, are celebrated with vigour, showcasing the rich culture of the Bengalees,” she said.
Adding that the Indian High Commission worked closely with MBA to promote and showcase Bengalee and Indian heritage in Malaysia, Subashini said it was indeed pleasing that “all these aspects of the rich culture of the Bengalees find a proud place today in this festival”.
Highlights from the festivities included a sitar performance by renowned Malaysian sitarist Samuel J Dass and an alpona workshop and competition, where participants competed in designing beautiful floor art with rice flour.
The exhibit included literary works by Malaysian Bengalee authors.
Alpona is a folk art tradition consisting of coloured motifs, patterns and symbols painted on floors or walls during festive and religious occasions.
Food-loving guests not only got the chance to indulge in popular Bengalee treats like the syrupy-sweet roshogulla and decadent condensed milk-rich shondesh but also try their hand at concocting jalmuri, a popular Bengalee street snack made with puffed rice, spices, potatoes, tomatoes, chillies and onions.
MBA president Swapna Das said the association was appreciative of the support it received from the ministry to organise an event of this scale.
“The event was the perfect platform to showcase our culture and traditions on a grand scale.
“Among the exhibits were literary works by Malaysian Bengalee writers and a display of unique antiques,” she said, adding that the festival was also inclusive, with different communities participating in the bazaar.
MBA was established in the 1920s by Bengalees who migrated to Malaysia for employment opportunities.
The early Bengalee migrants contributed significantly to the nation’s development, including in the plantation sector.
