Lal Kach Festival: Red embers in the heart of Bangladesh

At the end of the month of Chaitra, the last of the Bengali calendar, Hindus gather in Munshiganj near the capital, Dhaka, for a colorful festival in honor of Shiva and Parvati, his wife. The ceremony is known in the region as Lal Kach, which means "red glass."

The central idea of the ceremony is that Shiva descends to Earth with a group of divine warriors to drive out evil and strengthen good. This symbolic act represents the cleansing of negative influences before the new year.

The color red at Lal Kach means farewell to the old, purification of the soul and courage for the new. The color almost becomes a protective shield full of life, fighting spirit and spiritual power that procession participants express through dances and ritual movements.

The red color used for the artistic body painting is usually made from turmeric. A fine powder from the turmeric root is mixed with lime. This turns the yellow of the turmeric an intense red.

The centuries-old tradition is also very colorful in other ways. The Lal Kach Festival has a special significance in Munshiganj. It isn't only a religious event, but also an expression of cultural identity and community cohesion. The processions are accompanied by the rhythmic, intoxicating sound of drums.