Pahela Baishakh is the first day of Bangla year. In fact, it is the day of welcoming the Bangla New Year. It is a part and parcel of Bangalee culture. It is the first day of Bengali Calendar year. Pahela Baishakh is celebrated in a festive manner in both Bangladesh and West Bengal. In Bangladesh Pahela Baishakh is a national holiday.
"Pahela Baishakh" is being celebrated by All Bangladeshi people every year in 14th April. The celebration starts when sun rises. it is the most colorful day for all Bangladeshi people.
In Dhaka, people attend the ‘Gono Sangeeter Ashor’ at Ramana Batamul in the morning. Different cultural organizations offer different programmes. The celebration of Pohela Boishakh bears a great significance for us.
The day thus goes by. It is passed by holding and enjoying festive programmes and functions. Now it has crossed the national boundaries because is celebrated by the Bengalis living abroad.
I generally put on pajama-panjabi on this day. I also eat watered-rice with onion, green chili and Hilsha fish. Then I go out for wandering.
From the ancient age people of this region are attached to agriculture.Emperor Akbar reformed a calendar in order to fix a date to collect tax from his people. So it is believed that Pahela Baishakh is celebrated during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. On this day farmers pay their tax.The shopkeepers star new account which is also known as 'halkhata utsab". They invite their customers and entertain them with sweet. Both the rural and urban people celebrate Pahela Baishkah in their own way.
People go to these fairs with little children and purchase different handicrafts, toys, agricultural products,bangles and sweet dishes. Different festive like jari gan, pala gan, gambhira,puppet show also take place in different ways. Young women wear white sharee with red border. The most colorful festive of Pahela Baishakh is the "Mangal Shovajatra" the biggest and the colorful rally which is organized by Charukala-Fine Art Institute of Dhaka University. Different cultural organizations also organize different program to make this day more colorful Chayanat , a cultural organization starts their programme on early morning with the renowned song of Tagore "Eso he Baishakh."
Pahela Baishakh has a great significance. It reflects our age old tradition and culture. It bears the testimony to the fact that we have a culture of our own. It is the manifestation of our cultural heritage.
Thank you.