Dhaka University has celebrated Adi Nababarsha for the first time, marking a new chapter in reviving the ancient Bengali New Year traditionally observed in the month of Agrahayan.

The campus took on the vibrancy of a Nabanna-style rural festival on Sunday, with colourful installations, cultural performances and traditional motifs led by the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Jointly organised by DUCSU and the cultural organisation Biplobi Sangskriti Oikya, the festival aimed to reconnect the university community with the historic agrarian roots of the Bengali calendar.

From the early hours of the Hemanta morning, the campus resonated with the ambience of dew-drenched fields, the fragrance of ripened paddy and the warmth of autumn sunlight- evoking the essence of ancient Bengal.

The Adi Nabavarsh Ananda Jatra began at 12pm from the Faculty of Fine Arts. The procession featured three major thematic motifs: a time-and-politics-inspired art piece titled 36 July, a symbolic depiction of fishermen’s livelihood, and an elaborate artwork showcasing agricultural life.

Palanquins, sheaves of rice, farmers with gamchas and sickles, fishermen casting nets and rural artefacts transformed the rally into a vibrant showcase of indigenous culture.

The festivities commenced earlier at 10am with Rangtuli te Nabanna, where 15 current and former fine arts students created paintings reflecting themes of July, autumn winds and the spirit of the harvest season. Each artwork highlighted the radiance of new rice, the resilience of farmers and the layered history of Bengal.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan attended the cultural segment at 3pm, alongside DUCSU General Secretary SM Farhad and AGS Md Mohiuddin Khan. DUCSU Vice-President Sadiq Kayem presided over the event.

Performances featuring recitation, music, dance, magic and folk songs by artists from Revolutionary Cultural Unity turned Charukala Chattar into a vibrant cultural fair.

The celebration has sparked discussion on campus about DUCSU’s decision to observe the New Year in Agrahayan alongside the traditional Baishakh festivities.

Responding to the debate, DUCSU Literary and Cultural Affairs Secretary Musaddiq Ali Ibn Mohammad said, “New Year has been celebrated in Agrahayan since ancient times. Nabanna was the original New Year festival of Bengalis, rooted in agrarian life. Baishakh was introduced as the New Year during Emperor Akbar’s reign for administrative reasons. Our aim is to remember history, not replace Baishakh.”

He added that DUCSU will continue celebrating the New Year in Baishakh while also reviving the historic Agrahayan tradition.

Historically, Agrahayan- derived from Agra meaning “first” and Hayan meaning “month”- marked the beginning of the year. On this day, communities across Bengal celebrated the Amani festival, offering new harvests to deities and ancestors, sharing food among relatives, and organising fairs featuring new rice cakes and puli.

Dhaka University’s first Adi Nababarsha has thus rekindled a long-forgotten cultural heritage, bringing history, agriculture and festivity together at the heart of the campus.