Pohela Boishakh

Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali Calendar. It is celebrated on 14 April as a national holiday in Bangladesh, and on 14 or 15 April in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and part of Assam by people of Bengali heritage, irrespective of their religious faith.

History[edit | edit source]

The festival date is set according to the lunisolar Bengali calendar as the first day of its first month Boishakh. This calendar was first introduced by the sixth-century king Shashanka of ancient Bengal. The festival is celebrated with processions, fairs and family time.

Celebration[edit | edit source]

The day is marked with singing, processions, and fairs. Traditionally, businesses start this day with a new ledger, clearing out the old. Singers perform traditional songs welcoming the new year. People enjoy classical jatra plays. People wear festive dress with women desking their hair with flowers. White-red color combinations are particularly popular.

Food[edit | edit source]

A special Bengali meal is prepared to celebrate the occasion. This typically includes panta bhat (watered rice), ilish bhaja (hilsa fish fry), bhapa pitha, rashmalai, sandesh, and mishti doi (sweet yogurt).