Pahela Baishkah also referred to as Pohila Boishakh, Poila Boishakh or Bangla Noboborsho is an important Bengali festival which marks the first day of the traditional Bengali calendar. In Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura that constitute majority Bengali population, this day is of great significance. The Pahela Baishakh commemoration usually happens on the 14th of April every year but in India, it can also be celebrated a day later. Bengalis all over the world greet each other by saying Shubho Nobobarsho which translates to a happy new year. Bengalis from all walks of life take active participation in the festivities. The Pahela Baishakh is a public holiday in Bangladesh. Happy Pohela Boishakh 2020 Greetings, Wishes, HD Images: Say Subho Noboborsho 1427 With These WhatsApp Stickers, Poila Baisakh Messages, GIFs to Celebrate Bengali New Year.

Pohila Boishakh Significance And Story

The story behind the inception of Pahela Baishakh dates back to the Mughal period when emperor Akbar asked his royal astronomer Fathullah Shirazi to come with a new calendar for the Bengalis which will aid tax collection. The emperor wanted to time the collection of taxes at the time of harvest and hence took up this initiative. Some historians also attribute the Bangla calendar to the 7th-century king Shashanka. The term Bangabda which means the Bangla year has been found in century-old Shiva temples stating the festivities could be significantly old. Pohela Boishakh 2020 Messages: WhatsApp Stickers, Facebook Greetings, GIF Images, SMS and Messages to Send on Bengali New Year.

Pohila Boishakh Celebrations

The Bengalis on Pahela Baishakh wear new clothes and decorate houses with traditional designs called alpana. Feasts include special dishes like ilish maach, dhokar dalna, rice and chanar dal. Fairs are common on this day and often huge crowds turn up. A mass procession called Mangal Shobhajatra takes place in Dhaka and is organised by the teachers and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University. In 2016, the UNESCO declared it as a cultural heritage. Pohela Boishakh 2020 Traditional Bengali Recipes: From ‘Alu Posto’ to ‘Bhetki Macher Paturi,’ Try These Scrumptious Dishes on Bengali New Year.

Due to the outbreak of the COVID 19 epidemic both India and Bangladesh are currently under lockdown. So this year there will be no outdoor activities on the Bengali new year and it will be all about celebrations at home. Here we look at some of the greetings and messages you can send to your loved ones on Pahela Baishakh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 14, 2020 01:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).