The rhythm of oars brings the lost thrill of boat racing back to the Brahmaputra

The last light of the afternoon was beginning to melt into the waters of the Brahmaputra when a rhythmic sound suddenly rose from the river….splash, splash, the steady beat of oars.

In moments, the river seemed transformed.

One boat after another surged forward. As the rowers moved in rhythm, propelling their boats through the water, excitement swelled among the crowds gathered on both banks.

The racing boats cut through the river side by side, rows of oarsmen seated along either side. Their powerful strokes rose and fell together to the rhythm of songs led by a singer aboard each boat.

As the race intensified, so did the pace of the oars. The rowers broke into chorus — “Heiyo, heiyo” — their voices carrying across the water.

The riverbanks erupted.

Every crew fought desperately to pull ahead. Thousands of spectators cheered from both sides of the Brahmaputra. Some held up mobile phones to capture the spectacle; others shouted the names of their favourite boats.

Children watched wide-eyed. Young people cheered. For the elderly, the scene brought back memories of another time.

After years without such a spectacle, the boat race seemed, for one afternoon, to restore a familiar image of rural Bengal that has gradually been disappearing.

The traditional boat race was held on Thursday afternoon, October 1, on the Brahmaputra at the South Charteki Mini Cox’s Bazar area in Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj.

Organised by residents of South Charteki village, the competition drew thousands of spectators to both banks of the river.

Word of the race had spread through neighbouring villages. Long before the event began, people of all ages started arriving at the riverbank. Some came with their families, others with friends and relatives. Some who happened to be visiting relatives in the area joined the crowd as well.

For many, it was an opportunity to encounter something from their past.

Mehedi Alam travelled from Narandi with his wife and children.

“My maternal grandfather’s home is here, and I was born here too,” he told Daily Waadaa. “I came with my wife and children to watch the boat race. It feels wonderful.”

For Sobed Ali, who came from Egarasindur, the occasion was equally special. Boat races, he recalled, were once common in the area. These days, they are increasingly rare.

“There used to be many boat races, but they hardly happen anymore,” he said. “When I heard there would be one today, I came to watch. There are huge crowds on both banks. I got to enjoy a boat race after such a long time. It feels really good.”

Standing by the river was elderly Alim Uddin. With every pull of the oars, he seemed to see the Brahmaputra of another era.

“This is full of memories for me,” he said. “Watching the race today brought the past back. There was a time when boat races were held very often. Now they have declined considerably. I heard people talking about this one, so I came to watch.”

A battle of oars

Eight boats of varying sizes took part in this year’s competition.

They raced alongside one another over a designated stretch of the river. Powered by the coordinated strokes of their crews, one boat would pull ahead, only for another to accelerate from behind and close the gap.

Each change in position sent fresh cheers rising from the two banks.

In the end, the boat belonging to Dulal Chairman of Kargaon in Katiadi upazila finished first. The boat of Habibur Rahman Jalal Mia, also from the same area, came second. Ismail’s boat from the Bahadia area of Pakundia took third place.

The winning team received a motorcycle. The second- and third-place teams received a refrigerator and an LED television respectively. Consolation prizes were also awarded to the other participating crews.

The competition turned the two banks of the Brahmaputra into a festival ground.

Charteki’s riverfront bustled with people who had travelled from near and far. For children, it was a new experience. For older spectators, it was a window into a world they remembered.

Advocate Md Jalal Uddin, the member of parliament for Kishoreganj-2, covering Katiadi and Pakundia, attended the event as chief guest and watched the race.

Pakundia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rupam Das inaugurated the competition.

The programme was chaired by VP Md Kamal Uddin, joint convener of the upazila BNP and a former union parishad chairman.

Among the special guests were Pakundia Police Station Officer-in-Charge SM Arifur Rahman; Taufiqul Islam, senior joint convener of the upazila BNP; joint convener Atiqur Rahman Masud; and SAM Minhaj Uddin, president of the municipal BNP.

Kutub Uddin Kiran, a member of the organising committee, told Waadaa that boat racing was one of rural Bengal’s traditions now at risk of disappearing.

The main purpose of organising the event, he said, was both to provide entertainment for villagers and to introduce a new generation to the tradition.

He said the organisers planned to hold the race on a larger scale in the future.

By then, the sun was sinking towards the western horizon.

The racing on the river had ended, but the crowds had not entirely dispersed. Some people began making their way home. Others remained by the bank, taking one last look at the river.

The Brahmaputra had returned to its usual rhythm. Yet only a short while earlier, its waters had been alive with racing boats, pounding oars and the roar of thousands of spectators.

Something of that excitement seemed to linger on both banks.

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