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Pohela Boishakh is a significant and highly anticipated festival in the Bengali community. It marks the first day of the initial month of Baishakh in the Bengali solar calendar, signalling the start of the Bengali New Year, or Nobo Borso.
The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fanfare in West Bengal and Bangladesh, and it is recognised as a national holiday in Bangladesh. Moreover, Pohela Boishakh coincides with other regional festivals in India, such as Baisakhi in Punjab, Vishu in Kerala, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, and Bihu in Assam.
Here’s all you need to know about Pohela Boishakh, from date to shared celebrations of the arrival of spring and the abundance of the harvest season, history and more.
Pohela Boishakh is “the first day of Boishakh,” which is the first month in the Bengali calendar. This year, it is being celebrated on April 14, 2024, in Bangladesh and India, with tremendous zeal and passion.
Several theories are proposed regarding the origins of Poila Baisakh. One theory suggests that during Mughal rule, tax collection was carried out by the Islamic Hijri calendar, a lunar calendar that did not align with the solar agricultural cycles. To address this discrepancy, Bengalis introduced Poila Baisakh, leading to the development of the Bengali calendar, known as the Bangabda.
Another theory attributes the Bengali calendar to King Shashanka, with references to the Bangabda found in two Shiva temples, indicating its existence before the Akbar era. The Bengali calendar commences with Boishakh or Baisakh, aligning with the harvest season, and the name of the Bengali New Year is Pohela Boishakh.
According to Drik Panchang, King Shoshangko of ancient Bengal is credited with initiating the Bengali era, with the starting point of the Bengali era estimated to be in 594 in the Gregorian calendar.
Pohela Boishakh holds immense significance for the Bengali community. A striking example of Bengali, it promotes a feeling of cultural pride and identity. Traditional dress, music, dance, and art take centre stage. Together for a celebration, families and friends eat together, welcome one another, and fortify their relationships. For a bright and successful year ahead, particularly for agricultural plenty, prayers and rituals are offered to evoke divine benefits.
Pohela Boishakh has historically signalled the start of the new fiscal year for companies. Shopkeepers pray for a prosperous year as they open their fresh “haal khata,” or account books. The symbolic opening of the books is still important, even though modern accounting methods may have made the tradition less common nowadays.
UNESCO has recognised this colourful procession as part of its cultural heritage. It is especially well-known in Bangladesh and India. To celebrate the start of a new year, people march through the streets wearing colourful clothing while traditional music and dance performances play.
