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Pohela Boishakh ( bn, পহেলা বৈশাখ) is the first day of the
Bengali calendar The Bengali Calendar or Bangla Calendar ( bn, বঙ্গাব্দ , , Baṅgābda), colloquially ( bn, বাংলা সন, Baṅgla Śon), is a solar calendar used in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. A revised version of t ...
which is also the official calendar of Bangladesh. This festival is celebrated on 14 April in
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
and 15 April in the
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n states of
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
,
Tripura Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east a ...
, and
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
(
Barak Valley The Barak Valley is located in the southern region of the Indian state of Assam. The region is named after the Barak river. The Barak valley consists of three administrative districts of Assam - namely Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi. The ...
) by
Bengalis Bengalis (singular Bengali bn, বাঙ্গালী/বাঙালি ), also rendered as Bangalee or the Bengali people, are an Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the ...
regardless of religious faith. Celebration of Pohela Boishakh traces its roots back to
Mughal rule The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
in this region and also the proclamation of tax collection reforms of
Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
. The festival is celebrated with processions, fairs and family time. The traditional greeting for Bengalis in the new year is "''Shubho Noboborsho''" which is literally "Happy New Year". The festive ''
Mangal Shobhajatra Mangal Shobhajatra or Mangal Shovajatra () is a mass procession that takes place at dawn on the first day of the Bengali New Year in Bangladesh. The procession is organised by the teachers and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Univer ...
'' is organized in Bangladesh. In 2016, the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
declared this festivity organized by the
Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka The Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) was established in 1948 as the Dhaka Art School. It was the first art school in the region and became the main centre of art and cultural practice. Since 1956 it has been situated in Shahbag, Dhaka, close to the Ban ...
as a cultural heritage of humanity.Mangal Shobhajatra on Pohela Boishakh
UNESCO.


History and origin


Nomenclature

In
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
, the word ''Pohela'' ( bn, পহেলা) means 'first' and ''Boishakh'' ( bn, বৈশাখ) is the first month of the Bengali calendar ( bn, পহেলা বৈশাখ ''Pohela Boishakh'')., Quote: "Pohela Boishakh is celebrated on the first day of Boishakh, the first month of the Bengali calendar. It falls on 14 April in the Gregorian calendar, and it coincides with similar Vedic calendar-based New Year celebrations (...)" Bengali New Year is referred to in Bengali as ''Nobo Borsho'' ( bn, নববর্ষ), where 'Nobo' means new and 'Borsho' means year.


Traditional roots


Mughal origin theory

Some say that during Mughal rule, land taxes were collected from
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
people according to the Islamic Hijri calendar. This calendar was a
lunar calendar A lunar calendar is a calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon's phases (synodic months, lunations), in contrast to solar calendars, whose annual cycles are based only directly on the solar year. The most commonly used calendar, the Gre ...
, and its new year did not coincide with the solar
agricultural cycle The agricultural cycle is the annual cycle of activities related to the growth and harvest of a crop (plant). These activities include loosening the soil, seeding, special watering, moving plants when they grow bigger, and harvesting, among others ...
s. According to some sources, the festival was a tradition introduced in
Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
during the rule of Mughal Emperor
Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
to time the tax year to the harvest, and the Bangla year was therewith called
Bangabda The Bengali Calendar or Bangla Calendar ( bn, বঙ্গাব্দ , , Baṅgābda), colloquially ( bn, বাংলা সন, Baṅgla Śon), is a solar calendar used in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. A revised version of t ...
. Akbar asked the royal
astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...
Fathullah Shirazi Sayyed Mīr Fathullāh Shīrāzī Namazi ( fa, ; died 15 August 1589) was a Persian Sufi polymath - an Islamic jurist, mechanical engineer, mathematician, astronomer, physician and philosopher—who worked for Akbar, ruler of the Mughal Empi ...
to create a new calendar by combining the lunar Islamic calendar and solar
Hindu calendar The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt a s ...
already in use, and this was known as Fasholi shan (harvest calendar). According to some historians, this started the
Bengali calendar The Bengali Calendar or Bangla Calendar ( bn, বঙ্গাব্দ , , Baṅgābda), colloquially ( bn, বাংলা সন, Baṅgla Śon), is a solar calendar used in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. A revised version of t ...
. According to
Shamsuzzaman Khan Shamsuzzaman Khan (29 December 1940 – 14 April 2021 ) was a Bangladeshi academician, folklorist, and writer who served as president of Bangla Academy since June 2020 until his death in April 2021. He also served as the director general of the a ...
, it could be Nawab
Murshid Quli Khan Murshid Quli Khan ( fa, , bn, মুর্শিদকুলি খান; 1660 – 30 June 1727), also known as Zamin Ali Quli and born as Surya Narayan Mishra, was the first Nawab of Bengal, serving from 1717 to 1727. Born a Hindu in the D ...
, a Mughal governor, who first used the tradition of Punyaho as "a day for ceremonial land tax collection", and used Akbar's fiscal policy to start the
Bangla calendar The Bengali Calendar or Bangla Calendar ( bn, বঙ্গাব্দ , , Baṅgābda), colloquially ( bn, বাংলা সন, Baṅgla Śon), is a solar calendar used in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. A revised version of t ...
. According to Shamsuzzaman Khan, and
Nitish Sengupta Nitish Kumar Sengupta (23 September 1934, Palang, Faridpur − 3 November 2013, New Delhi) was an Indian academician, administrator, politician and author. Biography He studied at Jhargram Kumud Kumari Institution and graduated with Gold Medal ...
, the origin of the Bengali calendar is unclear. According to Shamsuzzaman, it is called Bangla shon or shaal, which are
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
(سن) and
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
(سال) words respectively, suggests that it was introduced by a Muslim king or sultan." In contrast, according to Sengupta, its traditional name is ''Bangabda''. It is also unclear, whether it was adopted by
Alauddin Husain Shah Ala-ud-din Husain Shah ( bn, আলাউদ্দিন হোসেন শাহ (1494–1519)Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). ''The Delhi Sultanate'', Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, pp.215-20 was an independent late medieval Sultan of Bengal, who ...
or Akbar. The tradition to use the Bengali calendar may have been started by Husain Shah before Akbar. Regardless of who adopted the Bengali calendar and the new year, states Sengupta, it helped collect land taxes after the spring harvest based on traditional Bengali calendar, because the Islamic Hijri calendar created administrative difficulties in setting the collection date.


Vikramaditya origin theory

Some historians attribute the Bengali calendar to the 7th-century Indian king
Shashanka Shashanka (IAST: Śaśāṃka) was the first independent king of a unified polity in the Bengal region, called the Gauda Kingdom and is a major figure in Bengali history. He reigned in the 7th century, some historians place his rule between circ ...
. The term ''Bangabda'' (Bangla year) is found too in two
Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
temples many centuries older than
Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
era, suggesting that Bengali calendar existed before Akbar's time. Various dynasties whose territories extended into
Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
, prior to the 13th-century, used the Vikrami calendar.
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
texts and inscriptions created in the
Pala Empire The Pāla Empire (r. 750-1161 CE) was an imperial power during the post-classical period in the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Bengal. It is named after its ruling dynasty, whose rulers bore names ending with the suffi ...
era mention "Vikrama" and the months such as
Ashvin Ashvin or Ashwin or Ashwan (; bn, আশ্বিন; hi, आश्विन; or, ଆଶ୍ୱିନ; Malay/Indonesian: ''Aswin''; Thai: ''Asawin''), also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the solar Tam ...
, a system found in
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
texts elsewhere in ancient and medieval Indian subcontinent., Quote: "''Naba Barsha'' ("New Year"). Hindu New Year festival in West Bengal State, observed on the first day of the month of Vaisakha or Baisakh (corresponds to mid-April). New Year's Day is known as ''Pahela Baisakh'' (First of Baisakh)." In rural Bengali communities of India, the Bengali calendar is credited to "Bikromaditto", like many other parts of India and
Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. However, unlike these regions where it starts in 57 BCE, the Bengali calendar starts from 593 CE suggesting that the starting reference year was adjusted at some point.


Contemporary usage

In Bangladesh however, the old Bengali calendar was modified in 1966 by a committee headed by
Muhammad Shahidullah Muhammad Shahidullah ( bn, মুহম্মদ শহীদুল্লাহ; 10 July 1885 – 13 July 1969) was a Bengali linguist, philologist, educationist, and writer. In 2004, he was ranked number 16 in BBC's poll of the Greatest Bengal ...
, making the first five months 31 days long, rest 30 days each, with the month of Falgun adjusted to 31 days in every leap year. This was officially adopted by Bangladesh in 1987. Since then, the national calendar starts with and the new year festival always falls on 14 April in Bangladesh. In 2018–19, the calendar was amended again, with Falgun now lasting 29 days in regular years and to 30 days in leap ones, in an effort to more align with Western use of the Gregorian calendar. However, the date of the celebration, 14 April, was retained. The Bengali calendar in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
remains tied to the Hindu calendar system and is used to set the various Bengali Hindu festivals. For Bengalis of West Bengal and other Indian states, the festival falls either on 14 or 15 April every year. The current Bengali calendar in use in the Indian states is based on the Sanskrit text ''
Surya Siddhanta The ''Surya Siddhanta'' (; ) is a Sanskrit treatise in Indian astronomy dated to 505 CE,Menso Folkerts, Craig G. Fraser, Jeremy John Gray, John L. Berggren, Wilbur R. Knorr (2017)Mathematics Encyclopaedia Britannica, Quote: "(...) its Hindu inven ...
''. It retains the historic Sanskrit names of the months, with the first month as
Baishakh Boishakh (, ne, बैशाख, ''Bôishakh'', ''Baishakh'') is the first month in the Assamese calendar, Bengali calendar and Nepali calendar. This month lies between the second half of April and the first half of May. Etymology The name of ...
.


Holiday customs


Visiting family and friends

During Pohela Boishakh, people wear traditional attire, namely women clad in
saris A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include: * as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO * bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO * gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std= ...
and men dressed in
kurta A ''kurta'' is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, (subscription required) Quote: "A loose shirt or tunic worn by men and women." Quote: "Kurta: a loose shirt without a collar, worn by women and men from South ...
, visit their families and friends and spend time together. Pohela Boishakh is also known for uniting friends and family after a long time.


New year salutation

The celebration of Bengali new year
Pahela Baishakh Pohela Boishakh ( bn, পহেলা বৈশাখ) is the first day of the Bengali calendar which is also the official calendar of Bangladesh. This festival is celebrated on 14 April in Bangladesh and 15 April in the Indian states of W ...
begins at dawn arranges by the cultural organisation
Chhayanaut The Chhayanaut Sangeet Vidyatan ( bn, ছায়ানট) is an institution devoted to Bengali culture, founded in Bangladesh in 1961. As in the case of many similar organizations, it was established during Pakistani rule in Bangladesh to prom ...
welcoming the year at Ramna Batamul under the banyan tree in the Ramna Park in Bangladesh.


Haal Khata

Haal Khata Haal Khata is a festival celebrated by Bengali merchants, shopkeepers and traders on Poila Boisakh (the first day of the Bengali Calendar) by opening a new ledger. History Mughal emperor Akbar established a new calendar based on the old solar ...
is a festival celebrated on the occasion of Pohela Boishakh in order to complete all the account reckonings of the last year and open a new
ledger A ledger is a book or collection of accounts in which account transactions are recorded. Each account has an opening or carry-forward balance, and would record each transaction as either a debit or credit in separate columns, and the ending or ...
. It is observed by the Bengali businessmen, shopkeepers and traders. It signifies that every year starts with a new beginning.


Red-White Attire

On this occasion, males are seen wearing red or white Panjabi with traditional designs on them, imprinted or embroidered. Women and young ladies wear red and white
saree A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various Languages of South Asia, regional languages include: * as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO * bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO * gu, સાડી ...
with blouses and put on flower crowns on their heads. Girls also dress in
salwar kameez Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia. ''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
. They are seen wearing traditional ornaments and accessories along with their dresses. It is thought that it is because the traditional ledgers used in Haal Khata had a red cover with white pages.


Baishakhi meal

In recent times, claiming it to be traditional, Bengalis eat
Panta Bhat Panta bhat or poitabhat ( bn, পান্তা ভাত ''pàntà bhàt''; as, পঁইতা ভাত ''poĩta bhat'' or পন্তা ভাত ''ponta bhat'') consists of cooked rice soaked and fermented in water. The liquid part is k ...
or poitabhat, which is a rice-based dish prepared by soaking rice, generally leftovers, in water overnight. It is popularly eaten with
Hilsa The ilish (''Tenualosa ilisha'') ( bn, ইলিশ, translit=iliś; also known as the ilishi, hilsa, hilsa herring or hilsa shad, is a species of fish related to the herring, in the family Clupeidae. It is a very popular and sought-after food ...
Fish and other curries.But many argue that it is not an age-old tradition and merely a trend. To stop overfishing and to repopulate the dwindling Hilsa population, around this time, fishing is banned.


Mangal shobhajatra


Baishakhi Rural Fair

It is a fair held by the locals of that area where many different things ranging from books to special dishes are sold. Traditionally, the fair was held under huge
Banyan A banyan, also spelled "banian", is a fig that develops accessory trunks from adventitious prop roots, allowing the tree to spread outwards indefinitely. This distinguishes banyans from other trees with a strangler habit that begin life as a ...
trees and traders from far across the areas would gather with their goods and toys in the fair. Some rides such as Nagordola (wooden
Ferris wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a Giant Wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondolas, capsules ...
), are set for kids. Different types of traditional foods are sold out in the stalls such as Jilipi,
Sandesh Sandesh may refer to: *Sandesh (confectionery), a Bengali sweet prepared in Bangladesh and India *Sandesh (magazine), ''Sandesh'' (magazine), a children's magazine in West Bengal *Sandesh (Indian newspaper), ''Sandesh'' (Indian newspaper), a Gujara ...
,
Soan papdi Soan papdi (also known as san papri, shompapri,sohan papdi, shonpapdi or patisa) is a popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent. The term ''sohan'' is of Persian origin. It bears some resemblance to the Persian ''sohan pashmaki'', which gave ri ...
, Batasha (a candy made of sugar or jaggery), Khoi (popped rice), Kadma (a candy made of sugar), and so forth. 'Bioscope', a form of the old movie projector, was also a part of the attraction for the youngsters back in days.


Locality


Bangladesh

The Bengali New Year is observed as a public holiday in Bangladesh. It is celebrated across religious boundaries by its Muslim majority and Hindu minority. According to
Willem van Schendel Willem () is a Dutch and West FrisianRienk de Haan, ''Fryske Foarnammen'', Leeuwarden, 2002 (Friese Pers Boekerij), , p. 158. masculine given name. The name is Germanic, and can be seen as the Dutch equivalent of the name William in English, Gui ...
and
Henk Schulte Nordholt H.G.C. "Henk" Schulte Nordholt (born 13 June 1953, in De Bilt) is head of research at KITLV and KITLV professor of Indonesian History at Leiden University. His focus is on Southeast Asian history, contemporary politics in Indonesia, political vio ...
, the festival became a popular means of expressing cultural pride and heritage among the Bangladeshi as they resisted Pakistani rule in the 1950s and 1960s. The day is marked with singing, processions, and fairs. Traditionally, businesses start this day with a new ledger, clearing out the old which often involves inviting loyal customers and offering sweetmeats to them. This festival is called
Haal Khata Haal Khata is a festival celebrated by Bengali merchants, shopkeepers and traders on Poila Boisakh (the first day of the Bengali Calendar) by opening a new ledger. History Mughal emperor Akbar established a new calendar based on the old solar ...
. Singers perform traditional songs welcoming the new year. People enjoy classical Jatra plays. People wear festive dress with women desking their hair with flowers. White-red color combinations are particularly popular. Bangladeshis prepare and enjoy a variety of traditional festive foods on Pohela Boishakh. These include ''
panta bhat Panta bhat or poitabhat ( bn, পান্তা ভাত ''pàntà bhàt''; as, পঁইতা ভাত ''poĩta bhat'' or পন্তা ভাত ''ponta bhat'') consists of cooked rice soaked and fermented in water. The liquid part is k ...
'' (watered rice), ''
ilish The ilish (''Tenualosa ilisha'') ( bn, ইলিশ, translit=iliś; also known as the ilishi, hilsa, hilsa herring or hilsa shad, is a species of fish related to the herring, in the family Clupeidae. It is a very popular and sought-after food ...
bhaji'' (fried hilsa fish) and many special '' bhartas'' (pastes).


In Dhaka

The celebrations start in Dhaka at dawn with a rendition of
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
's song "''Esho he Boishakh''" by
Chhayanaut The Chhayanaut Sangeet Vidyatan ( bn, ছায়ানট) is an institution devoted to Bengali culture, founded in Bangladesh in 1961. As in the case of many similar organizations, it was established during Pakistani rule in Bangladesh to prom ...
under the banyan tree at
Ramna Ramna Thana ( bn, রমনা থানা) is a police jurisdiction in central Dhaka. It is a historic colonial neighborhood. Once the site of Mughal gardens, it developed into an institutional area during British rule in the late 19th centu ...
(the Ramna Batamul). An integral part of the festivities is the
Mangal Shobhajatra Mangal Shobhajatra or Mangal Shovajatra () is a mass procession that takes place at dawn on the first day of the Bengali New Year in Bangladesh. The procession is organised by the teachers and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Univer ...
, a traditional colourful procession organised by the students of the
Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka The Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) was established in 1948 as the Dhaka Art School. It was the first art school in the region and became the main centre of art and cultural practice. Since 1956 it has been situated in Shahbag, Dhaka, close to the Ban ...
(Charukala). According to the history, the rudimentary step of Mangal Shobhjatra was started in Jessore by Charupith, a community organization, in 1985. Later in 1989 the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka arranged this Mangal Shobhajatra with different motifs and themes. Now, the Mangal Shobhajatra is celebrated by different organization in all over the country. The Dhaka University
Mangal Shobhajatra Mangal Shobhajatra or Mangal Shovajatra () is a mass procession that takes place at dawn on the first day of the Bengali New Year in Bangladesh. The procession is organised by the teachers and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Univer ...
tradition started in 1989 when students used the procession to overcome their frustration with the military rule. They organized the festival to create masks and floats with at least three theme, one highlighting evil, another courage, and a third about peace. It also highlighted the pride of Bangladeshi people for their folk heritage irrespective of religion, creed, caste, gender or age. In recent years, 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 The culture of Bengal defines the cultural heritage of the Bengali people native to eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, mainly what is today Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura, where the Bengali language is th ...
are organized throughout the country. Other traditional events held to celebrate Pohela Boishakh include bull racing in Munshiganj,
Boli Khela Boli Khela or Bali Khela ( bn, বলীখেলা) is a traditional form of wrestling in Bangladesh, particularly popular in the Chittagong area considered as a national game of the district. It is a form of combat sport involving grappling ...
(wrestling) in Chittagong,
Nouka Baich Nouka Baich ( bn, নৌকা বাইচ, lit. ''Boat Race'', also spelt ''Nowka Bais'') is a traditional dragon boat-style paddling sport of Bangladesh. The ''Bangladesh Rowing Federation'', established in 1974, is the authority of all rowing ...
(boat racing), cockfights, pigeon racing.


In Chittagong

Pohela Boishakh celebrations in Chittagong involves similar traditions of that in Dhaka. The students of the fine arts institute of
Chittagong University The University of Chittagong ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, caṭṭagram bishwabidyalay) is a public research university with multidisciplinary faculties situated across a 1754-acres hilly landmas ...
brings the Mangal Shobhajatra procession in the city, followed by daylong cultural activities. At DC hill & CRB, a range of cultural programmes are held by different socio-cultural and educational organisations of the city. The Shammilito Pohela Boishakh Udjapon Parishad holds a two-day function at the hill premises to observe the festival, starting with Rabindra Sangeet recitations in the morning. In the late afternoon, through evening, Chaitra Sangkranti programme is held to bid farewell to the previous year. At the Chittagong Shilpakala Academy, different folk cultures, music, dances, puppet shows are displayed.


India

Bengalis of India have historically celebrated Poyla Boishakh, and it is an official regional holiday in its states of West Bengal and Tripura. The day is also called Nabo Barsho.


West Bengal

Poila Boisakh has been the traditional New Year festival in the state, with the new year referred to as the ''Noboborsho''. The festival falls on 14 or 15 April, as West Bengal follows its traditional Bengali calendar, which adjusts for solar cycle differently than the one used in Bangladesh where the festival falls on 14 April. Notable events of West Bengal include the early morning cultural processions called ''Prabhat Pheri''. These processions see dance troupes and children dressed up with floats, displaying their performance arts to songs of
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
.


Tripura and Northeast India

Pohela Boishakh is a state holiday in Tripura. People wear new clothes and start the day by praying at the temples for a prosperous year. The day marks the traditional accounting new year for merchants.Tripura people observed Pahela Baishakh
Financial Express (14 April 2016)
Festive foods such as confectionery and sweets are purchased and distributed as gifts to friends and family members. The festival is also observed by the Bengali communities in other eastern states such as
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
.


Celebration in other countries

Bangladesh Heritage and Ethnic Society of
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
in Canada celebrates its Heritage Festival (Bengali New Year) in a colorful manner along with other organizations. Bengali people in
Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
celebrate the day with traditional food, dress, and with Bengali culture. The Bangabandhu Council of Australia also hosts a Pohela Boishakh event at the
Sydney Olympic Park Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb of Greater Western Sydney, located 13 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta Council. It is commonly known as Olympic Park but officially na ...
.


See also

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Bengali Renaissance The Bengal Renaissance (Bengali: বাংলার নবজাগরণ — ''Banglar Navajagaran''), also known as the Bengali Renaissance, was a cultural, social, intellectual, and artistic movement that took place in the Bengal region of ...
*
List of festivals in Bangladesh This is a list of festivals in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a country of colourful celebrations. The people celebrate their faith, life, liberty, nature, elation, and achievements round the year through a wide variety of fairs and festivals, orga ...
*
Festivals of West Bengal West Bengal celebrates many holidays and festivals. The Bengali proverb “Baro Mase Tero Parbon” (“Thirteen festivals in twelve months”) indicates the abundance of festivities in the state. Throughout the Bengali calendar, many festivals a ...
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Pohela Falgun Pohela Falgun ( bn, পহেলা ফাল্গুন, ''Pôhela Falgun'' or পয়লা ফাল্গুন, ''Pôela Falgun''), also known as the first day of Spring of the Bengali month Falgun, is a festival celebrated in Bangladesh. ...
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Haal Khata Haal Khata is a festival celebrated by Bengali merchants, shopkeepers and traders on Poila Boisakh (the first day of the Bengali Calendar) by opening a new ledger. History Mughal emperor Akbar established a new calendar based on the old solar ...
*
Bangal Bangal is a term used to refer to the people of East Bengal (usually from the areas of Mymensingh, Dhaka, Barisal and Comilla), now in Bangladesh (as opposed to the Ghotis of West Bengal). The term is used to describe Bengalis from the east, ...


Gallery

File:Bangladeshi girls celebrating Pohela Boishakh (17152686985).jpg, Children in Bangladesh carrying placards in Pohela Boishakh's rally File:Bangladeshi children with Pohela Boishakh placard at Pohela Boishakh celebration (02).jpg, Children in Bangladesh carrying colorful placards in Pohela Boishakh's rally File:Bangladeshi girls wearing traditional sari with flower crown at Pohela Boishakh celebration 2016 (01).jpg, Girls in Bangladesh wearing traditional saris and flower crowns at Pohela Boishakh celebration in
Chittagong Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
File:Art competition at Pohela Boishakh celebration 2016 (04).jpg, Art competition at Pohela Boishakh celebration in
Chittagong Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
File:ঐতিহ্যবাহী বৈশাখী মেলার একটি স্টল.jpg, Colorful show pieces in a Boishakhi fair stall File:Bangladesh Women Association, Abudhabi.jpg, Pohela Boishakh Celebration by the Women Association, Abudhabi, UAE File:Bengali New Year 1422 07.jpg, A motif of sun at
Mangal Shobhajatra Mangal Shobhajatra or Mangal Shovajatra () is a mass procession that takes place at dawn on the first day of the Bengali New Year in Bangladesh. The procession is organised by the teachers and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Univer ...
procession in Pohela Boishakh celebration at
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...


References


External links


Pohela Boishakh 1425

Modern Times in Bangladesh
H.W. van Schendel (2001)
Pahela Baishakh
Pahela Baishakh Utsab {{West Bengal Bangladeshi culture Culture of West Bengal April observances Festivals of Bangladeshi culture Events in Bangladesh Public holidays in Bangladesh Folk festivals in Bangladesh Food and drink festivals in Bangladesh Cultural festivals in Bangladesh Annual events in Bangladesh Harvest festivals Festivals in India New Year in India New Year celebrations