History The Hindu solar calendar based on the Surya
Siddhanta commences in mid-April of the Gregorian year. The first day of this
calendar is celebrated as the traditional New Year in various parts of South
Asia, including Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Nepal, Orissa, Punjab, Sri
Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Tripura.
It is also celebrated
as the traditional New Year across Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar, and Thailand (see Songkran). Under the Mughals, agricultural taxes
were collected according to the Hijri calendar. However, as the Hijri calendar
is a purely lunar calendar, it does not coincide with the harvest.
As a result, farmers were hard-pressed to pay taxes out of
season. In order to streamline tax collection, the Mughal Emperor Akbar ordered
a reform of the calendar. Accordingly, Fatehullah Shirazi, a renowned scholar
and astronomer, formulated the Bengali year on the basis of the Hijri lunar and
solar Hindu solar calendars. http://aquarius-dir.com/Holi-SMS_157643.html
The new Fasli San (agricultural year) was introduced on
10/11 March 1584, but was dated from Akbar's ascension to the throne in 1556.
The new year subsequently became known as Bnggabdo or Bengali year. http://homedirectory.biz/holi-images_186769.html
Celebrations of Pohela Boishakh started from Akbar's reign.
It was customary to clear up all dues on the last day of Choitro. On the next
day, or the first day of the new year, landlords would entertain their tenants
with sweets.
On this occasion there used to be fairs and other
festivities. In due course the occasion became part of domestic and social
life, and turned into a day of merriment. The main event of the day was to open
a halkhata or new book of accounts. This was wholly a financial affair.
In villages, towns and cities, traders and businessmen
closed their old account books and opened new ones. They used to invite their
customers to share sweets and renew their business relationship with them. This
tradition is still practised, especially by jewellers.
In Kolkata, Pohela Boishakh (and indeed the entire month of
Boishakh) is considered to be an auspicious time for marriages. This day people
wear new clothes and go about socialising. Choitro, the last month of the
previous year, is the month of hectic activities and frantic purchases. http://craigslistdirectory.net/holi-images_158250.html
Garment traders organize a Choitro sale and sell the
garments with heavy discounts. Pohela Boishakh is the day for cultural
programmes. Prayers are offered for the well-being and prosperity of the
family. http://backpagedir.com/Holi-Images_129214.html
Young ladies clad in white saris with red borders and men
clad in dhuti and kurta take part in the Probhat Pheri processions early in the
morning to welcome the first day of the year. This day being auspicious, new
businesses and new ventures are started. http://directory9.biz/details.php?id=101714
The Mahurat is performed, marking the beginning of new
ventures.Pohela Boishakh is the beginning of all business activities in Bengal.
The traders purchase new accounting books called halkhata.
The accounting in the halkhata begins only after offering
puja. Mantras are chanted and shostik ("Hindu swastika") are drawn on
the accounting book by the priests. Long queues of devotees are seen in front
of the Kalighat temple from late night. Devotees offer puja to receive the
blessings of the almighty.
On Pohela Boishakh various fairs are held in West Bengal.
The most famous of these is Bangla Sangit Mela, held at Nandan-Rabindra Sadan
ground. This fair is conducted by the Government of West Bengal. In Dhaka Colorful
celebration of Pohela Boishakh in Dhaka.
New Year's festivities are closely linked with rural life in
Bengal. Usually on Pohela Boishakh, the home is thoroughly scrubbed and
cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes. They
spend much of the day visiting relatives, friends, and neighbours.
Special foods are prepared to entertain guests. This is one
rural festival that has become enormously big in the cities, especially in
Dhaka. Boishakhi fairs are arranged in many parts of the country. Various
agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, as well as
various kinds of food and sweets are sold at these fairs. The fairs also
provide entertainment, with singers and dancers staging jatra (traditional
plays), pala gan, kobigan, jarigan, gambhira gan, gazir gan and alkap gan. http://link-boy.org/details.php?id=149755
They present folk
songs as well as baul, marfati, murshidi and bhatiali songs. Narrative plays
like Laila-Majnu, Yusuf-Zulekha and Radha-Krishna are staged. Among other
attractions of these fairs are puppet shows and merry-go-rounds.
Many old festivals connected with New Year's Day have
disappeared, while new festivals have been added. With the abolition of the
zamindari system, the punya connected with the closing of land revenue accounts
has disappeared. Kite flying in Dhaka and bull racing in Munshiganj used to be
very colourful event.
Other popular village
games and sports were horse races, bullfights, cockfights, flying pigeons, and
boat racing. Some festivals, however, continue to be observed; for example,
bali (wrestling) in Chittagong and gambhira in Rajshahi are still popular
events.
Observance of Pohela Boishakh has become popular in the
cities. Early in the morning, people gather under a big tree or on the bank of
a lake to witness the sunrise. Artists present songs to usher in the new year.
People from all walks of life wear traditional Bengali
attire: young women wear white saris with red borders, and adorn themselves
with churi bangles, ful flowers, and tip (bindis). Men wear white paejama
(pants) or lungi(dhoti/dhuti) (long skirt) and kurta (tunic).
Many townspeople start the day with the traditional breakfast
of panta bhat (rice soaked in water), green chillies, onion, and fried hilsa
fish. http://www.addirectory.org/details.php?id=164121
Panta Ilish - a traditional platter of leftover rice soaked
in water with fried Hilsa, supplemented with dried fish (Shutki), pickles
(Achar), lentils (dal), green chillies and onion - a popular dish for the
Pohela Boishakh festival.
The most colourful new year's day festival takes place in
Dhaka. Large numbers of people gather early in the morning under the banyan
tree at Ramna Park where Chhayanat artists open the day with Rabindranath
Tagore's famous song, , , Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho (Come, O Boishakh, Come,
Come). A similar ceremony welcoming the new year is also held at the Institute
of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. http://targetlink.biz/Happy-Holi-2017-Images-Sms-wallpaper-Pictures-Wishes-Greetings-and-Messages_193316.html
Students and teachers of the institute take out a colourful
procession and parade round the campus. Social and cultural organisations
celebrate the day with cultural programmes. Newspapers bring out special
supplements. There are also special programmes on radio and television.
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