Shubho Noboborsho
Pohela Boishakh (পহেলা বৈশাখ) (14.04.2024)
-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 Indian/Hindu festivals which falls around the same date every year. This time of the year coincides with rabi (winter crop in north India) harvest and the Indian new year.
This year the celebrations for New Year are on 13th for V/Baisakhi, on 14th for Puthandu; Pana Sankranti, Mesha Sankranti; Bohag/ Rongali Bihu; Pohela Boishakh; Vishu Kani and Yamuna Chhath or Chaiti Chhath Puja. [2]
It is celebrated as New Year in the neighbouring countries of South/South-East Asia also, Bangladesh (Poila Boisakh); Nepal (Bikram Samvat); Pakistan (Punjab province as Baisakhi); Thailand (Songkron); and in Sri Lanka (Sinhalese 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.
Pohela Baisakh Feast
Traditional Bengali Breakfast comprising Phulko/Morich Luchi (deep fried puri or Indian bread, rich with black pepper); Hing Moricher Alu Torkari (Chilli Potato vegetable curry with Asafoetida flavour); Koraishutir Kochuri (Beans vegetable curry) & Alur Dom (steamed potato curry); Luchi (deep fried puri or Indian bread) and Hing Deoa/Alur Torkari (Chilli Potato vegetable curry with Asafoetida flavour).
Lunch/Dinner comprises of Radhaballavi (soft/tasty puris are made from maida and stuffed with spiced urad dal filling) with Cholar Daal (chickpea pulses curry) & Alur Dom (steamed potato curry); Aloo Posto (potato poppy seeds curry); Bengali Tekona Porota (triangular parantha) with Alu-Kumror Chenchki (Potato Pumpkin 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, coloured with saffron) 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
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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-ups on Poila Baisakh and Puthandu will be uploaded on April 14, 2024 on the website https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site .
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