Pohela Baishakh

Pôhela Boishakh is also known as Nôbo Bôrsho, Bangla (Bengali) New Year, as it is the first day of the first month of Baishakh of Bôngabdo (Bangla Calendar) . This day is a very festive time for Bengalis.

HISTORY

Under the Mughal s, agricultural taxes were collected according to the Hijri calendar. However, as the Hijri calendar is a Lunar calendar, it does not coincide with the harvest. As a result, farmers were hard-pressed to pay taxes out of season. In order to streamline tax collection, the Mughal Emperor Akbar ordered a reform of the calendar. Accordingly, Fatehullah Shirazi, a renowned scholar and astronomer, formulated the Bangla year on the basis of the lunar Hijri and Bangla solar calendars. The new Fasli San (agricultural year) was introduced on 10 / 11 March 1584 , but was dated from Akbar's ascension to the throne in 1556 . The new year subsequently became known as Bôngabdo or Bengali year.

Celebrations of Pôhela Boishakh started from Akbar 's reign. It was customary to clear up all dues on the last day of Choitro . On the next day, or the first day of the new year, landlords would entertain their tenants with sweets. On this occasion there used to be fairs and other festivities. In due course the occasion became part of domestic and social life, and turned into a day of merriment.

The main event of the day was to open a ''halkhata'' or new book of accounts. This was wholly a financial affair. In villages, towns and cities, traders and businessmen closed their old account books and opened new ones. They used to invite their customers to share sweets and renew their business relationship with them. This tradition is still practised, especially by jewellers.

IN DHAKA

New Year's festivities are closely linked with rural life in Bengal . Usually on Pôhela Boishakh, the home is thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes. They spend much of the day visiting relatives, friends, and neighbours. Special foods are prepared to entertain guests.

''Boishakhi'' fairs are arranged in many parts of the country. Various agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, as well as various kinds of food and sweets are sold at these fairs. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers and dancers staging ''jatra'' (traditional plays), ''pala gan'', ''kobigan'', ''jarigan'', ''gambhira gan'', ''gazir gan'' and ''alkap gan''. They present folk songs as well as ''baul'', ''marfati'', ''murshidi'' and ''bhatiali'' songs. Narrative plays like Laily-Majnu, Yusuf-Zulekha and Radha-Krishna are staged. Among other attractions of these fairs are puppet shows and merry-go-rounds.

Many old festivals connected with New Year's Day have disappeared, while new festivals have been added. With the abolition of the zamindari system, the punya connected with the closing of land revenue accounts has disappeared. Kite flying in Dhaka and bull racing in Munshiganj used to be very colourful events. Other popular village games and sports were horseraces, bullfights, cockfights, flying pigeons, boat racing. Some festivals, however, continue to be observed; for example, ''bali'' (wrestling) in Chittagong and ''gambhira'' in Rajshahi are still popular events.

Observance of Pôhela Boishakh has become popular in the cities. Early in the morning, people gather under a big tree or on the bank of a lake to witness the sunrise. Artists present songs to usher in the new year. People from all walks of life wear traditional ''/'' Dhuti '' and ''kurta'' (long shirt). Many townspeople start the day with the traditional breakfast of ''panta bhat'' (rice soaked in water), green chillies, onion, and fried hilsa fish.

The most colourful new year's day festival takes place in Dhaka. Large numbers of people gather early in the morning under the banyan tree at Ramna Park where Chhayanat artists open the day with Rabindranath Tagore 's famous song, ''Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho'' (Come, O Boishakh, Come, Come). A similar ceremony welcoming the new year is also held at the Institute of Fine Arts, University Of Dhaka . Students and teachers of the institute take out a colourful procession and parade round the campus. Social and cultural organisations celebrate the day with cultural programmes. Newspapers bring out special supplements. There are also special programmes on radio and television.

The historical importance of Pôhela Baishakh in the Bangladesh context may be dated from the observance of the day by Chhayanat in 1965 . In an attempt to suppress Bengal i culture, the Pakistan Government had banned poems written by Rabindranath Tagore , the most famous poet and writer in Bengali literature. Protesting this move, Chhayanat opened their Pôhela Boishakh celebrations at Ramna Park with Tagore's song welcoming the month. The day continued to be celebrated in East Pakistan as a symbol of Bengal i culture. After 1972 it became a national festival, a symbol of the Bangladesh nationalist movement and an integral part of the people's cultural heritage.

IN KOLKATA

In Kolkata, Pôhela Boishakh (and indeed the entire month of Boishakh) is considered to be an auspicious time for marriages. This day people wear new clothes and go about socializing. Choitro, the last month of the previous year, is the month of hectic activities and frantic purchases. Garment traders organize a Choitro sale and sell the garments with heavy discounts.

Pôhela Boishakh is the day for cultural programmes. Prayers are offered for the well-being and prosperity of the family. Young ladies clad in white saris with red borders and men clad in ''dhuti'' and ''kurta'' take part in the ''Probhat Pheri'' processions early in the morning to welcome the first day of the year.

This day being auspicious, new businesses and new ventures are started. The ''Mahurat'' is performed, marking the beginning of new ventures.

Pôhela Boishakh is the beginning of all business activities in Bengal. The traders purchase new accounting books called ''halkhata''. The accounting in the ''halkhata'' begins only after offering puja. Mantras are chanted and ''swastiks'' are drawn on the accounting book by the priests.
Long queues of devotees are seen in front of the Kalighat temple from late night. Devotees offer Puja to receive the blessings of the almighty.

Pôhela Baishakh bears immense significance in the life of all Bengalis. It marks as a new beginning, a new hope, a year full of joy, well-being and prosperity.

CELEBRATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES

''Main article: Vaisakhi ''

The Hindu communities in India, where the holiday is called Baisakhi , also celebrate the beginning of Spring and the end of the harvest seasion on Pôhela Boishakh. The Sikh communities celbrate '''' Vaisakhi ''' because it is the birth of the Sikh order of the ''' Khalsa '''. Vaisakhi is also called ''' Rongali Bihu ''' in Assam , ''' Puthandu ''' in Tamil Nadu and ''' Pooram Vishu ''' in Kerala .

''Main article: Vesak ''

In Buddhist communities, the month of Boishakh is associated with Vesak , known as '''Visakah Puja''' or '''Buddha Purnima''' in India, '''Visakha Bucha''' in Thailand , '''Waisak''' in Indonesia and '''Wesak''' in Sri Lanka and Malaysia . It commemorates the birth, Enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha on the one historical day, the first full moon day in May, except in a leap year when the festival is held in June. Although this festival is not held on the same day as Pôhela Boishakh, the holidays typically fall in the same month (Boishakh) of the Bengali, Hindu, and Theravada Buddhist calendars, and are related historically through the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism in Southeast Asia .

SEE ALSO

Banglapedia Entry on Pohela Boishakh

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Pohela Baishakh