ABSTRACT
The main objective of this chapter is to delineate the changes in festivals, marriages, and religious practices of Old Dhaka due to the presence of global change agents. This chapter is based on survey findings and a case analysis with the permanent residents of the Lalbagh area in Old Dhaka, with people both young and old, and including a thorough literature review. The chapter provides numerous examples of the cultural changes of the festivals, marriage ceremonies, and religious practices of those who have been living here ancestrally, and interviews them to sketch out the original culture of Old Dhaka and outline the changes that have been taking place within their culture. The authors were cautious about sketching the observational changes as well. Youths were given the floor to sketch the culture that they practise now and the changes that they have been observing compared to the past based on their observations, practice, experience gained through stories, literature, etc. The responses of the young and older people were analyzed separately and a comparison was facilitated to understand the extent of change. Findings revealed that festivals like Eid, Muharram, and Tazia to Muslims, and Durga Puja, Janmashtami, and Holi to Hindus, as well as Nouka Biach and Shakrain are the common festivals that Dhakaiya people still celebrate with many more changes. The appeal of marriage culture, which starts with Pani-Chini and ends with Bou Bhaat, has remained the same with a dramatic change only in the means of celebration due to global agents. Religious aspects of Old Dhaka people have also been going through a big change in this global era. It has been proved that the young generation is the main follower of modern, mostly Western and Indian, cultures in Old Dhaka, in comparison to the elder generation.
