Bengali New Year Holiday in India (Saturday, 15th April 2023)
The Bengali new year is also referred to as Pohela Boishakh or Nobo Borso. According to the Bengali lunisolar calendar, the festival falls on the first day of the first month of Baisakh or Boishakh. In India, it is celebrated on the 15th of April, while people celebrate it on the 14th of April in Bangladesh. It is primarily celebrated in the Indian state of West Bengal with much enthusiasm. The Bengali new year coincides with other regional festivals in India. These include Vishu in Kerala, Baisakhi in Punjab, Bihu in Assam, and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu.
Let’s explore more about the Bengali new year, from its history to its current day significance.
| Official name | Pohela Boishakh |
| Observed by | The Bengali community |
| Type | Social, cultural, and religious festival |
| Celebrations | Processions, gift-giving, Mela (fair), visiting relatives and friends, dances, and songs |
| Date | 15th April 2023 |
| Day | Saturday |
When is the Bengali New Year?
The Bengali new year is celebrated on the first day of the first month of Boishakh, according to the Bengali solar calendar. The festival is usually celebrated on the 14th or 15th of April every year as per the Gregorian calendar. In 2023, the Bengali new year will be celebrated on the 15th of April. This year, the festival falls on a Saturday.
How is Bengali New Year Celebrated?
As mentioned before, the Bengali new year is one of the most important festivals for the Bengali community. They celebrate the festival with great joy and enthusiasm since it marks the beginning of a new year.
Some common practices of celebrating the festival include taking out processions, setting up fairs, decorating homes, visiting temples, offering prayers, and more. The Bengalis decorate their homes with alpona, a type of traditional design, similar to a rangoli. People greet each other on the Bengali new year with Shubho Nabo Barsho. The greetings translate to ‘happy new year’ in English.
The celebrations typically involve traditional music and dance performances, colourful processions, and feasts of Bengali cuisine. The most common dishes prepared to celebrate the new year include Dhokar Dalna, Ilish Maach, sweets, rice, and Chanar Dal. People also engage in various cultural and social activities, such as songs and dances.
People celebrating this festival pray to the Gods to bless them with a good harvest in the year. It is also an important day for people in trade or commerce, since it marks the beginning of a new year. They observe the day by opening Haal Khaata, a new accounting book.
Pohela Boishakh is a day of new beginnings celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy.
Why is the Bengali New Year celebrated?
As the name suggests, the Bengali new year is celebrated to mark the beginning of a new year. It is also referred to as Noboborsho, which means ‘new year’. Some people also refer to it as Pohela Boishakh, as it is celebrated on the first day of the month of Boishakh. It marks the beginning of spring.
Since the festival celebrates the beginning of the new year, it is one of the most important festivals for the Bengali community. The Bengali new year is primarily celebrated by the Bengali people in West Bengal, India and Bangladesh. People of the Bengali diaspora across the world also celebrate Pohela Boishakh.
Bengali New Year History
The history of the Bengali new year can be traced back to when Mughal Emperor Akbar ruled the country. According to some sources, he asked the royal astronomer Fathullah Shirazi to create a new calendar. He combined the Islamic lunar calendar with the Hindu solar calendar and named it Fasholi Shan.
However, some credit Drik Panchang, King Shoshangko of ancient Bengal, for starting a new Bengali era. According to the Gregorian calendar, the start of the new era is believed to be in 594 CE. Eventually, Akbar adopted Fasholi Shan to facilitate tax collection following the harvesting of crops.
If other sources are to be believed, some people in rural Bengal credit King Vikramaditya for creating the Bengali lunisolar calendar.
Final Word
In conclusion, the Bengali New Year is a significant festival for the Bengali community. Celebrated with much enthusiasm. People engage in various cultural and social activities and exchange greetings and well-wishes among friends and family. Additionally, people visit temples to offer prayers and ask for blessings for a good harvest in the coming year. Furthermore, it is an important day for people in trade or commerce since it marks the beginning of a new financial year.
Let’s celebrate together the goodness of Bengali New Year without worrying about finances. Get Navi Cash Loan in a hassle-free manner instantly disbursed at affordable rates. Download the Navi App and get your cash loan approved.
FAQs
In 2023, the Bengali new year, also known as Pôhela Boishakh, will be celebrated on 15th April. This year, the festival will fall on Saturday.
The Bengali new year is one of the most important and auspicious days for Bengalis across the country. They celebrate it by visiting the temples, cleaning and decorating their homes, wearing new clothes, and eating sweet delicacies. Bengalis greet each other by saying Shubho Nabo Barsho. It translates to ‘happy new year’ in English.
If some sources are to be believed, the Bengali new year owes its origin to when Bengal was under the rule of the Mughal empire. Mughal Emperor Akbar introduced it to time tax years with harvests. The Bengali year was initially referred to as Bangabda.
The Bengali new year, also known as Pohela Boishakh or Nobo Borso, is celebrated by the Bengali community with much exuberance in West Bengal and Bangladesh. The day marks the first day of the first month of Baisakh, according to the Bengali lunisolar calendar.
The Bengali new year is celebrated by the people of the Bengali community in West Bengal and Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the festival is observed as a national holiday.
