Pahela Baishakh

The rest of the world may have their blast of New Year in January 1st. But for us, the advent of Bengali New Year (Pahela Baishakh; April 14 of each year) is the most cheerful, colorful and amazing public holiday that is immensely observed throughout the country. From urban concrete jungle to blissful natural rural landscape, the unbound color of life will definitely mesmerize you. It is presumed that the tradition of Pahela Baishakh started about 600 years back. One of the chief customaries of Pahela Baishakh is clearing up all the dues of present year on the last day of Chaitra (the twelfth month of the Bengali calendar). On the first day of Bengali new year, the landlords or the shop owners offer sweets to their tenants and customers.

In Dhaka, under the Banyan Tree at Ramna park, the biggest and most colorful celebration of Pahela Baishakh takes place. The programme initiates with Tagore’s famous song titled “Eso he Baishakh eso eso” (Come O Baishakh, come come) performed by the artists of Chhayanat. The students and teachers of Institute of Fine Arts bring out a colorful procession and parade around their campus with sculptures that resemble our age old culture. With wearing traditional attires, hundreds of Bangladeshi people join both events. Every media channel — based Bangladesh — broadcast a live coverage on both of this programme. The newspapers also publishes special news and supplements following this event.

Baishakhi mela (in Bengali mela means fair) is the most amazing part of Pahela Baishakh. Life happens there. And music and color brings life to the Baishakhi fair. Many kind of traditional handicrafts, toys, hand-made cakes, special kinds of food stuff, sweets, potteries, bangles, pitchers and cane products are the main exhibits at these fairs. Although the fairs are held all over our country, but the fair at Dhaka University and Ramna is the most famous. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers and dancers staging Jatra, Pala gan, Kavigan, Jarigan, Gambhira Gan, Gazir Gan and Alkap Gan. Artistes present folk songs as well as Baul, Marfati, Murshidi and Bhatiali songs.