Happy New Year!

Posted by Matthew McEwen

Happy 1415!

Bangladesh celebrated it's New Year along with some of Eastern India. Mogul Emperor Akbar (built the Taj Mahal) was apparently not happy that the lunar Islamic calendar did not fit with the crop season (many an unhappy farmer paying taxes in off season) and decided to adopt a solar calender. Well it's still very important in Bangladesh and the school was off kilter in celebrating all day (we should have actually had it off!). There was henna, Bengali music and dancers, tasty treats (well I wouldn't go so far), horse carriage rides, and a bunch of street vendors selling all manor of trinkets. The culture dance show was very impressive It was extremely chaotic but fun and colorful.