Rishka Festival: A celebration of all things local

From the moment I walked through the neon entrance tunnel and stepped into the open-air area of Aloki, I knew the organisers 'Rishka Connect' had achieved something special with the 'Rishka Festival'— their first flagship event. 

The tunnel itself was a kaleidoscope of purple and blue, the pretty hues guiding me as I emerged on the other side – greeted by what felt like a childhood memory.

I was immediately greeted by rows of food stalls adorned with colourful banners and a young crowd of people exuding youthful energy as they greeted one another, took selfies, and got lost in laughter and conversation in the company of friends and family.

The Rishka Festival at Aloki from 29 to 30 November was Rishka Connect's attempt to showcase the depth of  Bangla culture by curating local cuisine, art, music and merchandise, seamlessly incorporating them into one large space for people to admire and celebrate.

As I took in the environment around me, I was reminded of fairs that I would visit with my parents when I was young. Everything around me so far felt like a deliberate choice by the festival organisers to harken back to the simple desires of our childhood, highlighting the joys of our culture to evoke nostalgia.

The founder and Managing Director of Rishka Connects, Riedwan Mehrab spoke about his inspiration for the festival. "The team behind Rishka Connects have all been quite involved with Bangla culture for years. Individual members have been involved in small artworks, rickshaw paintings, making dolls or putuls and more. So, the Rishka Festival was born out of our desire to bring all those elements of our culture together in one place."

When I entered the building next to the main hall,  I was greeted by breathtaking art featuring local artists. Small paintings by artist and curator Ishrat Rouf were displayed on the wall, showcasing women in sarees, Bengal tigers and more.

Next, I went to the stall in the corner by the 'BD  Rickshaw Art Gallery'. This stall was a treasure trove of nostalgia and artistry, showcasing vivid paintings of old movie banners that transported me back to the better days of Bangla cinema. 

Alongside these bold, dramatic paintings were miniature painted rickshaws, tea kettles and various other trinkets, each a tiny masterpiece brimming with the charm of Dhaka's bustling streets. A lively crowd had gathered here, their faces lit with admiration as they took in the intricate details and striking colours.

This hall also offered a workshop by Clay Station where people could make pottery, but the most impressive and eye-catching workshop belonged to the Prothiba Foundation. They had a rickshaw on the floor that people were encouraged to come together and paint. 

The combination of numerous people's contributions to the rickshaw painting left the rickshaw positively brimming with splashes of colour – it was truly a sight to behold.

I then made my way to the ground floor of the main hall which was turned into a bazaar of dreams. The marketplace was filled with unique and entertaining stalls and drew in a lot of people. Ranging from cultural products like painted lanterns to deshi clothes, the stalls had something for everyone.

Riedwan offered insight into his process for selecting the vendors, "We were very picky with our stalls. We wanted those that represented Bangla culture. Just as you saw outside with candyfloss, rickshaw painted products etc, here we also picked cultural clothing stores that sell salwar kameez, local jewellery etc. We wanted it to be an exhibition of our culture."

Two stores really stood out to me, one of which was Moksh Massages. It seemed different from the others, so I spoke with Anashua, the owner. She shared, "I've struggled with chronic body pain, but couldn't find the right treatments here. So, I trained in Cambodia and started this business. I'm planning to go to Vietnam soon for more training."

The other store that stood out was Beaded. Beaded was created by Anisa Murshed who makes handmade beads and holds a Guinness world record for the longest beads threaded by an individual in one hour. 

Anisa said, "I have been making beads since I was 10. People have always told me to open my own shop, but I never considered it until Covid. That is when I attempted to set the Guinness World Record."

The band 'Indalo' was the highlight of the second night. The second floor of the main hall was used earlier in the day for screening the movie "Daruchini Dip." Rishka Festival went all out for this, even bringing in a popcorn machine, reminiscent of a movie theatre. 

However, as the night rolled on, the theatre was transformed so that Indalo could take centre stage.

Living up to their reputation, Indalo electrified the crowd with a magical performance in an unplugged setting. One of the highlights was when they performed "Ekanto Golap", a song that had just come out a few months ago in April 2024. The energised crowd danced to the music and sang along to the band's performance. 

After a long day, Indalo managed to mesmerize the crowd and send them home happy.