Your Guide To Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year)

Regardless of the opinions you hold about our country, there's no denying how awe-inspiring India's rich bustling diversity is. From residents who've spent a lifetime cherishing their homeland, to visitors instantly bewitched by India's compelling charm, our country's melange of landscapes, cultures, festivals, cuisines and people, has been lauded universally. 

As long-time Indians, we are no strangers to the unique festivals celebrated at different junctures of the calendar, across the length and breadth of the nation. Distinct Indian states and regions have their own conceptions of what ought to be celebrated, when it needs to be celebrated and how to go about celebrating it. And the best part? The rest of the country usually believes in joining in.

One such festival on the near horizon is Pohela Boishakh, or what is popularly knows as the Bengali New Year. Yep, you heard that right. According to the Bengali calendar, or "Panjika" (as referred to in every Bengali household) the first day of the year usually arrives on the 14th or 15th of April every year, marked by the entire Bengali community celebrating this auspicious day with new clothes, lavish feasts, and unique customs. And on that note, here's a round-up of everything you need to know about the upcoming Pohela Boishakh, or Bengali New Year 2020. 

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Bengali New Year History 

The exact origin of Bengali New Year is a much-debated topic, although general consensus inclines heavily towards one particular story. According to history, the Bengali New Year came into existence as a result of an ordinance passed by the great Mughal emperor Akbar. The collection of agricultural taxes in accordance with the then prevalent Hijri calendar led to off-season tax due dates that did not coincide with the harvest season. To rectify this, and subsequently streamline the tax collection process, Akbar ordered for a newly revised calendar, that was formulated by Fatehullah Shiraz on the basis of both the Hijri lunar and Hindu solar calendars. This paved the way for the new agricultural year or Fasli San, along with the tradition of celebrating Pohela Boishakh, or the first day marking the beginning of a new Bengali year.

Bengali Calendar or Panjika 

If you are a Bengali yourself, or have been in close contact with one, you've probably heard of the word "Panjika". Even if you haven't, you can easily spot a tattered Panjika copy resting on a corner table of any Bengali household you visit. Panjika is the Hindu astronomical almanac that's published in four Indian languages, including Bengali. So, as the year draws to a culmination point, it is common practice amongst Bengalis to rush to the nearest bookstall, and purchase a fresh Panjika copy for the upcoming year. That pink printed paperback is one of the most prominent memories I carry from my childhood in a Bengali household, and the act of purchasing a new one during year-end is a crucial part of traditional Pohela Boishakh celebration. 

Pohela Boishakh Food Menu

Much like any other festival, or for that matter, regular life as a Bengali, the Pohela Boishakh food menu comprises of mouth-watering Bengal delicacies and sweets. From a Bhar of Roshogullas to heaps of Sandesh and Kalakand (Bengali Milk Cakes) and plates overflowing with Payesh (Bengali Kheer), Pohela Boishakh is celebrated with the most scrumptious traditional Bengali sweets. The auspicious early hours of Pohela Boishakh are usually spent in the kitchen by most Bengalis, cooking up a culinary story replete with the most flavoursome Bengali preparations like Chollar Dal (Chana Dal) Begun Bhaja (Fried Eggplant), Laal Shaak Bhaja (Fried Red Spinach), Kosha Mangsho  (Bengali Mutton Curry) and Shorshe Bata Illish (Hilsa Fish In Mustard Grave). Someone stop my inadvertent salivation, please. 

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Pohela Boishakh Clothes

Buying new clothes is a crucial custom in traditional Pohela Boishakh, or Bengali New Year celebrations. Most Bengali families will go shopping for new clothes right before the first day of the Bengali new year, and don brand-new apparel on the day of the festival. While there isn't a specific festive dress code for Pohela Boishakh, most women tend to wear new white and red sarees, and men a fresh pair of Dhuti and Kurta, especially those participating in Prabhat Pheri, the name for the early morning processions that happen on Pohela Boishakh to welcome the first day. 

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Pohela Boishakh Home Decorations

Bengalis welcome the first day of the new year by decking up their house in festive ornaments and details. From beautiful white rangolis or "Alpanas" drawn at entryways of the house using white rice powder paste, to clay pots adorned by Swastikas and mango leaves, along with garlands of fresh spring flowers, can be spotted as important festive elements in traditional Pohela Boishakh home decoration. 

Haal Khata For Bengali Traders

One of the most age-old and pivotal Pohela Boishakh customs, is centred around Bengali traders and businessmen. Traditionally, businesses start in Bengal on the first day of the year, and to mark this auspicious occasion, Bengali traders close old accounts and start with a fresh new ledger on the day of Pohela Boishakh. This ceremonial practice is referred to as "Haal Khata" amongst Bengalis and includes offering puja, chanting mantras and drawing Swastikas on the new accounting book. Some shop owners and businessmen also invite their usual customers for Haal Khata celebrations, which isn't always great news considering its the official Bengali day for settling all over-flowing debts from the previous year. 

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Bengali New Year Celebration - India & Beyond

Bengali New Year or Pohela Boishakh is a festival for all Bengalis, regardless of caste, religion or geographical territory. Pohela Boishakh is celebrated in different parts of India with a Bengali population, including West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, and Odisha. Not only that, but Pohela Boishakh (or to be more precise, Pahela Baisakh) is also the national festival for the state of Bangladesh, and Naba Barsho marks a national holiday for the folks there. Bangladesh celebrates Pohela Boishakh in similar ways as that of Bengalis in India, with grand festive feasts, new clothes, Rabindra Sangeet, and year-end fairs and festival processions. Arguably, the most universally famous element of Bengali New Year celebration in Bangladesh is the Mangal Shobhajatra, a mass procession which takes place at dawn on Pohela Boishakh or the first day of the Bengali New Year, in Bangladesh. 

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Shubho Nobo Borsho!