Celebrating 'Green Brothers': Sundarbans Women Honour Mangroves During Bhaiphota

During Bhaiphota celebrations, women from Sundarbans honoured mangroves as protective 'brothers' against cyclones like Dana. Through unique rituals, they pledged to protect these life-saving trees, emphasizing the crucial role of mangroves in safeguarding their communities from natural disasters.

In a heartfelt ceremony on Sunday, women from the Sundarbans coastal communities paid tribute to the resilient mangrove forests, which have served as their protectors against the wrath of natural disasters like Cyclone Dana.

Gathering at Namkhana's Haripur village, they performed a unique ritual named 'Mangrovephota'. Deviating from traditional Bhaiphota customs, the women adorned mangrove trunks with ceremonial markings typically reserved for brothers, symbolizing the vital protection these 'green brothers' provide.

The event underscored a communal pledge to safeguard the mangroves, whose deforestation poses a significant risk to the region's defense against severe storms and rising sea levels.

(With inputs from agencies.)