Bengali New Year
Bengali New Year is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in both Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, and also in Bengali communities in the other Indian states. It is celebrated on 14th April in Bangladesh and on 15th April in West Bengal. The traditional greeting for Bengali New Year is "Shubho Noboborsho".
There is a noticeable difference in the nature and essence between the Bengali New Year and English New Year. While the English New Year’s day is also comprehensively celebrated across Bangladesh, it merely champions the arrival of yet another year whereas Bengali New Year is not only celebrated as the coming of the New Year but also attests our loyalty to ourselves.
Origin of Bengali Year is debated with primarily two hypotheses but historicity of none could be proved till date. The development of the Bengali calendar is often attributed to King of Gour, Shashanka as the starting date falls squarely within his reign.
People enjoy a national holiday on this day. The celebrations are started at the break of dawn with a rendition of Rabindranath Tagore's well known song " Esho, he Boishakh” by Chhayanat under the banyan tree at Ramna Batamul. The students of ‘Charukala’ of Dhaka University organize a traditional colorful procession called the ‘Mongol Shobhajatra’. The procession has a different theme relevant to the country’s culture and politics every year. Different cultural organizations and bands also perform on this occasion and fairs celebrating Bengali culture are organized throughout the country. People start their day by eating a special kind of food which is rice with water, called “panta vaat” and Hilsha fish fry with green chili. Pôhela Boishakh is really about celebrating the simpler, rural roots of the Bengal. The entire Bangladesh gets into a festive mood as it celebrates the Bengali New Year, hoping that the New Year would bring peace and prosperity to their future ahead.
There is a noticeable difference in the nature and essence between the Bengali New Year and English New Year. While the English New Year’s day is also comprehensively celebrated across Bangladesh, it merely champions the arrival of yet another year whereas Bengali New Year is not only celebrated as the coming of the New Year but also attests our loyalty to ourselves.
Origin of Bengali Year is debated with primarily two hypotheses but historicity of none could be proved till date. The development of the Bengali calendar is often attributed to King of Gour, Shashanka as the starting date falls squarely within his reign.
People enjoy a national holiday on this day. The celebrations are started at the break of dawn with a rendition of Rabindranath Tagore's well known song " Esho, he Boishakh” by Chhayanat under the banyan tree at Ramna Batamul. The students of ‘Charukala’ of Dhaka University organize a traditional colorful procession called the ‘Mongol Shobhajatra’. The procession has a different theme relevant to the country’s culture and politics every year. Different cultural organizations and bands also perform on this occasion and fairs celebrating Bengali culture are organized throughout the country. People start their day by eating a special kind of food which is rice with water, called “panta vaat” and Hilsha fish fry with green chili. Pôhela Boishakh is really about celebrating the simpler, rural roots of the Bengal. The entire Bangladesh gets into a festive mood as it celebrates the Bengali New Year, hoping that the New Year would bring peace and prosperity to their future ahead.