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Sunday, 26 Januuary, 2003
RAJ PUNNYAH IN BANDARBAN

By Shahidul Islam Bachchu
Special to Chittagong Today.

Raj punnyah is a 276-year old traditional festival that beckons one of the endearing cultural heritages of the tribal people of Chittagong Hill Tracts and it is being observed every year since 1875 in a such a festivity and grandeur where everybody joins spontaneously irrespective of caste, creed and prejudices. This year the Raj punnyah, the annual land-tax collection of the tribal Bomang circle, begins in the CHT district of Bandarban on January 16. The octogenarian 15th Bomang King (Bomang chief) Aungshoi Pru Chowdhury, 88, on Thursday (January 2) formally announced the date for the three-day Raj punnyah.

Raj punnyah is usually a three-day royal function organized by the sitting Bomang King on the occasion of payment of annual land-tax by the Jhum farmers of different mouzas under the circle. Centering the Raj punnyah a grand and pompous fair was also held which continued for seven days this year. Hundreds of people joined the celebrations in Bandarban amid fanfare, joy and merriment. On the eve of the Raj punnyah the Bomang King exchanged views with the local pressmen at the Rajbari (king’s palace) in Bandarban town recently. The Bomang king Aungshoi Pru Chowdhury said that the Raj punnyah is being observed in the Bomang circle since the 9th king Kongha Pru Chowdhury introduced the ceremony in 1727. Though the other two tribal circles of greater CHT - the Mong circle of Khagrachhari and Chakma circle of Rangamati, no longer hold it, the Bomang circle have been preserving the tradition and holding it with great care and enthusiasm.

However, the Bomang king regretted that the ceremony lost its distinctiveness and glory to some extent and called for cooperation from all for keeping up the traditional tribal festival that help bring and create harmony, fraternity and closer bondages between the people. The Bomang King Aungshoi Pru Chowdhury this year, braving his poor physical conditions and ailment, received the tribute from the farmers by himself which he could not do last year due to serious illness.#