New Year's Children

Today is the Bangla New Year, first Boishakh. Frankly, I am not crazy about Boishakh. In this month the heat rushes in, cruelly banishing the last remnants of cool weather. Crazy northwester cyclones appear out of nowhere and threaten to blow everything away; yet they don't cool things down at all. The summer fruits - Mangoes, Lychees, Jackfruits, Kalajaams, Jamburas - are still a memory from last year, and won't be ripe for another two months.

There is, however, one great thing about Boishakh - the new year's celebration. Here are some pictures of children celebrating today in Dhaka's beautiful Ramna Park.

Red and white were the colors of the day...



...with lots of face painting.



It's nice to be surrounded by these balloons, no?



Could I please have that blue one?



...then I can chase it just like that girl!



Here is Shopon, the toy seller - he has a lot to offer.



Someone collected things for recycling and left their kid sleeping.



Did my friends really hide behind this tree?



We can see you too!




Some places even the rocks were colored.



Here is a Tokai who also got in on the act.



Here's looking at you kid. Happy New Year!