Pic PoBai 1 Shubho Noboborsho
Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ)
-Rohit Kumar Parmar
Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ) or Bangla Noboborsho (বাংলা নববর্ষ). Pohela means 'first' and Boishakh is the name of the first month of Bengali (and Indian) calendar. In Noboborsho (নববর্ষ), 'Nobo' means new and 'Borsho' means year. Pohela Boishakh is celebrated in Bangladesh, and in India including the states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam (as Bohag Bihu) and by the Bengali diaspora. It is one of the few festivals which falls about the same date every year.
The current Bengali calendar is based on the Sanskrit text Surya Siddhanta and retains the historic Sanskrit names of the months. The term Bangabda (Bangla year) is also found in two terracotta Shiva temples located in Bankura district of West Bengal, India. These inscriptions suggest that the Bengali calendar existed before Akbar's time.
In rural Bengal, the Bengali calendar is credited to Vikramaditya, like other parts of India and also in Nepal as Vikram Samvat. While Vikram Samvat starts in 57 BCE, the Bengali calendar starts from 593 CE, suggesting that the starting reference year was adjusted at some point.
Celebration of Pohela Baishakh also traces its roots to the Mughal rule in the 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 dresses 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; Hing Morich er Alu Chochori; Koraishutir Kochuri & Alur Dom; Luchi & Hing Deoa/ Alur Torkari.
Lunch/Dinner comprises of Radhaballavi with Cholar Daal & Alur Dom; Aloo Posto; Bengali Tekona Porota with Alu-Kumror Chenchki & Begun Bhaja; Basanti polao, or as commonly called mishti polao and Channar Payesh.
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