Bangladesh New Year- In Bangladesh, the First Day of the New Year is called ‘Pohela Boishakh’. It is a national holiday. The word ‘Pohela’ or ‘Polia’ means ‘first’ and ‘Boishakh’ is the first month of the Bengali Calendar.
On this day, Bengalis usually start the day having the traditional breakfast of ‘panta-bhat’ and ‘fried hilsa fish’. For this, Boishakhi Fairs are organized in many parts of its capital and elsewhere in the Nation.
In these fairs, the rural Bengal showcased their lifestyle which also stages traditional folk songs and few plays.
You Know what, Mughal Emperor Akbar introduced the Bengali calendar year and the celebration of Pohela Boishakh, now Bangladesh New Year day is considered as an integral part of Bengali’s cultural heritage and tradition.
The Bengali New Year Celebration begins with a sunrise when hundreds or thousands of people irrespective of caste, color, sex, and religion join a mass procession, ‘Mangal Shobha Jatra’, which is to welcome the new year with the good spirits.
It is said that ‘Pohela Boishakh’ Bangladesh New Year is the biggest non-communal and universal festival. On this festival, people from a different sphere meet together and do their traditional aspects. On this day, Bengalis get enlightened by her heritage, cultural identity and glorious nationalism.
The feelings of nationalism every time tightened them together and creative inspiration to fight for any struggle for the country’s well being.
For this occasion, mainly women wear white saree with a red border, adorn their hair with flowers and wear colorful bangles (this symbolizes the many colors and renewed life in nature). While men use to wear traditional Panjabi with Paayjama, Lungi or Dhoti.
This festival designates a new Bengal business year too. Business owners start their day with the new ledger, clearing out the old one. Special Mantras are chanted all along.
The Bangla New Year will show us that this is not who we are that indeed this is a day for all of us to go out and have a grand time.
Stay tuned with Talepost.