According to the Bengali calendar, 'Pohela Boishakh' is seen as the first month of the year. This festival is not a religion but a festival of culture, so Muslim Bengali Bengalis also celebrate this day. Mangal Shubh Yatra is also carried out in Bangladesh, in which all people take out processions in colorful clothes with New Year banners. Also on social media congratulate their friends and relatives.
Bengali do these things on Baisakh day:
Bengali people wake up at dawn on the day of Pohela Boishakh and worship the Sun God. After this, after bathing with holy water, wear new clothes. Then worship his presiding deity.The feast is held on Pohela Boishakh day
Bengali people wear traditional attire on Pohela Boishakh. On this day, traditional dishes such as onion, green chilli and fried hilsa fish are eaten at home. It is called Pant Bhat. Apart from this, rasogulla, meat, fish, and many types of sweets are also included in the catering.
Bengali new year is celebrated in the middle of April. During this, the Bengali people greet each other by saying 'Shubho Nobo Borso'. 'Shubho Nobo Borso' means Happy New Year.
It is usually celebrated on the 14th of April. In Bengal, it is called Pohla Boishakh. This is the first day of Baishakh month. Pohela means the first and Boishakh is the first month of the Bengali calendar. The Bengali calendar is based on the Hindu Vedic solar month.
Pohela Boishakh is celebrated with great fervor in the whole of the hilly states and neighboring Bangladesh besides Bengal. People of Bengal eagerly wait for this festival. In West Bengal and Assam, this day is a government holiday.
Pohela Boishakh Rituals
Actually, the whole month of Boishakh in Bengal is considered auspicious. On Pohela Boishakh, people clean their houses, do whitewash. Get up early in the morning and take a bath and put on new clothes. Bengali people spend most of this day worshiping and meeting relatives and friends. On this occasion, special dishes are made in homes. On this day in Bengal, worship is done for the prosperity and well being of the family. Long queues of devotees can be seen in Kolkata's Kalighat temple on this day. The Kali temple of Kalighat is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths.
On Pohela Boishakh, people get up early and see the rising sun. It is believed that doing so is auspicious. People sing songs Bengali people are seen dressed in traditional clothes during this period. Young women wear new saris. Boys wear kurta-pajama or dhoti. In the morning, people eat Panta with breakfast onions, green chilies, and fried Hilsa fish.Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are worshiped by the Bengali people during this period. During this, clouds are worshiped for good rain. On this day people try not to have any debt on them. Business people create a new book on this day, which is known as Halakhata. It is only after the puja that accounts begin to be written. During the puja, the pandits recite the mantra and make a swastika symbol on the hall.
Pohela Baisakhi fairs are held in Bengal and Bangladesh
Baisakhi melas are organized in many parts of the state during this period. Among all this, the Bangla Music Fair at Nandan-Ravindra Sadan Maidan is the most popular. On this day in Kolkata, Rabindranath Tagore's famous song 'Esho he boishakh asho also keeps on echoing. The meaning of this song is Aao Boishakh Aao Aao. During this time, agricultural products, toys, cosmetic items, sweets, etc. can be purchased from here. Many types of cultural programs are organized in the fair.These cultural programs include song-music, dance, traditional dance as well as plays by Yusuf-Zulekha, Laila-Majnu, and Radha-Krishna. Apart from this, puppet shows and merry-go-rounds are also the main attractions of entertainment.
Apart from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, the new year is celebrated with great pomp in other cities of the country. In the morning, people gather at the Rama Park in Dhaka. On the day of Pohela Boishakh, the first program starts with a famous cultural party called Chhayanat. Chhayanat started in 1961. The member of the Chayanat sings the song 'Esho Hey Boishakh' by poet Guru Rabindranath Tagore. The New Year reception is held at the University of Dhaka. During this time, many types of programs are organized throughout the day in the university, which are broadcast on television and radio.
Importance of Bengali New Year
The new year is of great importance for the Bengali people. Especially in view of marriage, this whole month of Baishakh is considered auspicious. On the day of Pohela Boishakh, Bengalis wish for good health for themselves and their families. Bengali people consider it auspicious to start new work from this day. People also chant on Paila Baisakh.The new year is of great importance for the Bengali people. Especially in view of marriage, this whole month of Baishakh is considered auspicious. On the day of Pohela Boishakh, Bengalis wish for good health for themselves and their families. Bengali people consider it auspicious to start new work from this day. People also chant on Paila Baisakh.
The Bengali New Year also has its historical significance in Bangladesh. This day was celebrated in 1965 when Chhayanat. Then Pakistan tried to ban the Bengali culture and to ban the songs of Rabindranath Tagore. Chhayanat opposed this. Since then, this day has been celebrated as a symbol of Bengali culture in East Pakistan. From 1972, this festival started being celebrated as a national festival.
Traditional plate of Bengali food
Apart from all this, the main attraction of this day is the banquet, in which the predominance of meat, fish, and various types of Cheshire sweets. People call each other for food at home. During this time the Bengali food festival takes place in hotels. Small elders touch the feet of the house and even outside the house, the feet of the elders are touched with sweets.
