Here is your short paragraph on Burhwa Mangal:
Since the 1920’s the Burhwa Mangal, an emblem of the great days of Hindu princely culture, has disappeared.
This was a festival of boats. The wanning fortnight of Chaitra, which immediately follows Holi, is the last fortnight of the year.
In former days, the mood of this fortnight was entirely focussed upon its last four days and the great river festival, the Burhwa Mangal, which combined boating, festivity and music and which completed the year in a style utterly characteristic of high Banarasi culture. For weeks ahead of time, the well-to-do would compete in decorating their boats with flags, with carpets, even with chandeliers. Hundreds of boats came out for the festival and their patrons would invite musicians and dancers to provide cultured entertainment for their guests.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The river front, from Asia to Panchaganga used to become a floating music festival. Between the larger boats plied hundreds of smaller craft selling flowers and betel leaves, sweets and toys. At the outset of the festival, the Maharaja’s boat, the most lavishly decorated of all, would appear to the simultaneous greeting of a thousand musicians up and down the river.
And at the end of the festival, the Maharaja would beckon all to follow and his boat would lead the floating procession back to the palace at Ram nagar for an entire night of music.