Pic PoBai 1 Shubho Noboborsho
Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ) (15.04.2023)
-Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ) or Bangla Noboborsho (বাংলা নববর্ষ). Pohela means 'first' and Boishakh first month of Bengali (and Indian) calendar. Noboborsho (নববর্ষ), 'Nobo' means new and 'Borsho' means year. Pohela Boishakh is celebrated in India especially the states of Assam (as Bohag/Rongila Bihu), Tripura and West Bengal; by the Bengali diaspora; and in Bangladesh.
This is one of the few festivals which falls about the same date every year. This time of the year coincides with rabi (winter crop in north India) harvest and the Indian new year, with celebrations on 14th as V/Baisakhi, Pana Sankranti, Puthandu, Mesha Sankranti, and on 15th as Bohag/Rongali Bihu, Pohela Boishakh, and Vishu Kani. [2]
It is celebrated as New Year in neighbouring countries of South/South-East Asia also, Bangladesh (Pohela Boisakh), Malaysia (Tamil New Year) Nepal (Bikram Samvat), Pakistan (Punjab province as Baisakhi), Thailand (Songkron), Singapore (Tamil New Year) Sri Lanka (Sinhalese and Tamil New Year).
The current Bengali calendar is based on the Sanskrit text Surya Siddhanta and retains the Sanskrit names of the months. The term Bangabda (Bangla year) is also found in two terracotta Shiva temples in Bankura district, West Bengal, India. These inscriptions suggest that the Bengali calendar existed much before Akbar's reign.
In rural Bengal, the Bengali calendar is credited to Vikramaditya, like other parts of India and in Nepal as V/Bikram Samvat. While Vikram Samvat starts in 57 BC, the Bengali calendar starts from 593 AD, suggesting that the starting (reference) year was adjusted at some point.
Celebration of Pohela Boishakh traces some of its roots to the Mughal rule in the Bengal region with the proclamation of tax collection reforms by Emperor Akbar.
On this auspicious day people take ritualistic bath, offer prayers to Gods and Goddesses, spend family time, take out cultural processions; everybody wears new clothes and exchange gifts and greetings with friends and families. Guests are welcomed with sweets and snacks.
A festive Mangal Shobhajatra is organized in Bangladesh.
Pic PoBai 2 Pohela Baisakh Feast
Special food preparations are made.
Traditional Bengali Breakfast comprising Phulko/Morich Luchi (deep fried puri or bread, rich with black pepper); Hing Moricher Alu Chochori; Koraishutir Kochuri & Alur Dom; Luchi & Hing Deoa/Alur Torkari.
Lunch/Dinner comprises of Radhaballavi (soft/tasty puris are made from maida and stuffed with a spiced urad dal filling) with Cholar Daal (chickpea pulse curry) & Alur Dom (steamed potato curry); Aloo Posto (potato poppy seeds curry); Bengali Tekona Porota (triangular parantha) with Alu-Kumror Chenchki (Potato Pumkin Mashed dish) and Begun Bhaja (deep fried brinjal); Basanti/mishti polao (Sweet, ghee-laden rice pulao made from fragrant gobindabhog or kalijeera rice, with cashew nuts and raisins) and Channar Payesh (Paneer dumplings dunked in creamy milk).
[1] Author (Free lance, IES Retd, Former Senior Economic Adviser, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Adviser UNDP, Yemen P 4) has in posts on his website (https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site), YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@rohitkparmar), twitter (https://twitter.com/rohitkparmar?s=09), facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rohit.parmar.5268750/), Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-kumar-parmar-841b4724) been writing/ sharing varied topics and can be reached at rohitkparmar@yahoo.com. [2] Write-up on Vaisakhi is accessible at https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site/post/vaisakhi-वैशाखी-14-04-2023-rohit-kumar-parmar , and on Puthandu at
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