Every year, on the last day of Srabon (monsoon), the 'Ojhas' (people who cure snake bites) in rural Bangladesh, organise Shaone Dala, a set of cultural performances held on boats in the rivers. The performance, which is presented on the river Elenga in Tangail, is called Behula Lachari. It narrates the story of fear and love for the mighty Serpent Goddess Manasa. Referred to as the Manasa Mangal Kavya in Bengali literature, the myth of Manasa is presented by many names in different parts of the country.
Behula's tale is an epitome of feminine power. She is the daughter-in-law of Chand Saudagar, a Brahman merchant, who refuses to pray to the Goddess of Serpents, Manasa Devi. As a result, Manasa Devi keeps killing Chand Saudagar's sons. His youngest son, Lokkhindor, is married to Behula.
On the wedding night of Behula and Lokkhindor, the groom is bitten by a snake as per Manasa Devi's will. The new bride Behula, unable to accept her husband's death, starts a journey to heaven with his dead body, which she carries on a raft.
She faces hurdles seven times before reaching her destination. After reaching heaven, she tries to please Goddess Manasa with her songs and dances. Happy with Behula's performance, Manasa Devi agrees to give Lokkhindor's life back only if Chand Saudagar prays to Manasa Devi.
With the arrival of the monsoon season, the fear of snakes amongst people living in the rural areas of Bangladesh is at an all-time high. On the last day of the season, the ritual begins with a Puja dedicated to Manasa Devi. Fascinatingly, this ritual is performed by Muslims. The ritual that is carried out, goes beyond religion and communities, thus reflecting tolerance.
This year, on August 17, the boats were decorated, as they are every year, on the last day of monsoon in Tangail. In addition, preparations took place to celebrate the festival -- Ojhas were fasting, and performers were dressed up to enact the story of Behula.
Stopping at seven banks of the river, Behula's journey of bringing her husband back to life from death is displayed in these boats. At each stop, Behula prays to Manasa and offers 'bhog' (food given to the Gods) while the Ojhas narrate a mantra.
The performers of this event are male members of the community. They dress up as women to play Behula and her 'shokhis' (friends).
The tradition of male performers cross-dressing as women started a long time ago, mainly because women were not allowed to perform. However, today, the idea of cross-dressing to play Behula has become a genre called 'Chukri'. We may not live in the same conservative society anymore but with the creation of this genre, the tradition of cross-dressing lives on.
Behula Lachari is not just a performance; it is in fact, a form of prayer. Ojha Mohammad Bari has been a part of this tradition for thirty years. There is a type of tree needed to cure snake-bites and he collects the tree on the day of the ritual. Ojhas fast during Behula Lachari and are only allowed to eat after they find the tree, which is usually kept confidential. They follow all these instructions out of their love to serve the people of their village.
Every year, Shadhona Cultural Circle promotes this event to reach out to more people and show the beauty of the rivers, culture and people of this country. However, Lubna Marium, director of Shadhona, thinks that it is necessary to be careful while promoting the event. “This ritual means a lot to these performers. We must keep in mind to not commercialise it, but to show the true essence and sentiments of it.”
The story of Behula is an oral tradition with no written documentation. In order to safeguard this tradition, performances such as Behula Lachari are important.
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