Pohela Boishakh 2023 Date: When Is Bengali New Year? Know Tithi, Significance, History and Celebrations Related to Noboborsho
Pohela Boishakh holds great significance as it is the first day of the Bengali Calendar. The day is also known as Bengali New Year. Bengalis celebrate by planning Boishakhi rallies and Prabhat Pheri, which takes place at dawn.
Pohela Boishakh is an important festival of the Bengali community every year with great fanfare. Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali Calendar, marking the Bengali New Year. Bengalis widely celebrate this festival in several states across India, including West Bengal, Tripura, Jharkhand and Assam (Barak Valley). Pohela Boishakh 2023 will be celebrated on Saturday, April 15. The Sankranti moment will be on the previous day, i.e., on April 14 at 1.42 pm. The festival is celebrated every year on April 14 in Bangladesh and April 15 in India. As we celebrate Pohela Boishakh 2023, here’s all you need to know about the history and significance of the day. April 2023 Holidays Calendar With Festivals & Events: Get List of Important Dates in the Fourth Month.
Pohela Boishakh History
The Pohela Boishakh celebration traces its roots back to the Mahifarash community during the Mughal rule and also the proclamation of tax collection reforms of Akbar. In Bengali, the word Pohela means 'first' and ‘Boishakh’ is the first month of the Bengali calendar. Bengali New Year is referred to in Bengali as Nobo Borsho, where 'Nobo' means new and 'Borsho' means year. King Shoshangko of ancient Bengal is credited with starting the Bengali era in 594 in the Gregorian calendar. Hence Bengali year is 594 less than the Gregorian calendar if it is before Pohela Boishakh or 593 less after Pohela Boishakh.
According to historical records, during the Mughal rule, land taxes were collected from Bengali people according to the Islamic Hijri calendar (a lunar calendar), and its new year did not coincide with the solar agricultural cycles. The festival was a tradition introduced in Bengal during the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar to time the tax year to the harvest. Soon after, Akbar asked the royal astronomer Fathullah Shirazi to make a new calendar by combining the Islamic lunar calendar and the solar Hindu calendar. This was known as Fasholi shan (harvest calendar). It is believed that this started the Bengali calendar.
Pohela Boishakh Celebrations
On the day of Pohela Boishakh, people wear traditional attire; women are clad in sarees, and men are dressed in kurtas. It is a joyous family time when people visit their families and friends and spend time together. The celebration of the Bengali New Year, Pahela Baishakh, begins at dawn, arranged by the cultural organization Chhayanaut welcoming the year at Ramna Batamul under the banyan tree in the Ramna Park in Bangladesh.
Pohela Boishakh Significance
Pohela Boishakh holds great significance as it is the first day of the Bengali Calendar. The day is also known as Bengali New Year. Bengalis celebrate by planning Boishakhi rallies and Prabhat Pheri, which takes place at dawn. Pohela Boishakh is also known as a special occasion for uniting friends and family after a long time. Fairs are organized by local people in towns, and traditional dances and folk music are played to celebrate Noboborosh.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2023 04:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).