The Contemporary Relevance of the Gajon Festival as a Carrier of Folk Culture/ লোকসংস্কৃতির ধারক-বাহক গাজন উৎসবটির বর্তমান প্রাসঙ্গিকতা

Abstract

Gajon is a traditional folk festival celebrated in parts of Bangladesh and West Bengal, particularly in rural areas. This multi- dimensional festival is the festival of the low – born or Antyaja people. It is usually held at the end of the Bengali month of Chaitra, just before the Bengali New year (pohela Boishakh). The festival typically lasts for several days and involves a combination of devotional rituals, folk performances, and acts of penance. Participants, known as Gajon sannyasis or bhoktas, often dress in saffron clothes, fast, and take part in rituals such as dancing, singing, fire – walking, or even body- piercing, to show their devotion and seek blessings. Gajon is not just a religious event – it is a celebration of faith, tradition, and cultural unity in rural Bengali life. Given the socio- economic context of this agriculturally centered festival, its relevance in the current era of globalization, especially in the context of the development of the mechanical civilization, deserves special discussion.