1 la Baishakh Bangla (New year)

  

Cultural function

 The first day of the Bengali calendar year "Pahela Baishakh" is celebrated as the New Year in Bangladesh. The history of the Bengali New Year is not very old.
In Bengal, Emperor Akbar started the Bengali calendar year on 10 March 1585, but it became effective from 16 March 1586, the day of his ascension to the throne. The basis of the Bengali year is the Hegira [ Hijri ] lunar year (Muslim era counted from the year of prophet Muhammad's (SM) going to Medina in 622 AD). The Bengali year was accepted at the grass root level irrespective of religious differences. The Bengali New Year is in summer, not a pleasant time in Bangladesh. It was fixed due to practical necessities. A strong reason for the creation of Bengali year is agriculture and the beginning of the Bengali year is a time of collection of taxes from the farmers.

The common man in Bangladesh as well as West Bengal refers to the Bengali calendar of his day-to-day activities and the well to do city-dwellers to the Julian calendar. The introduction of Bengali year had not only survived, but at one time had also given the unique power of nationalistic feelings and pride to the separated and divided Bengali society.

In Dhaka, the programme starts with daybreak at the Ramna 'Botomul' (Banyan tree), a popular venue where noted cultural group 'Chhayanaut' holds a cultural function with choral rendition of songs followed by song “esho hey baishakh esho esho...”. Students of the Institute of Fine Arts bring out rally in the morning in Ramna. The highlight of the carnival is huge replicas of birds, horses, masks and more. Other cultural organizations join with banners and festoons. Fairs are held where local agricultural products and handicrafts are sold. Eating of ‘paanta’ (soaked rice) with hilsa fish, shutki (dried fish) and green chilies on that day is getting popularity among middle class people. Programmes also include Baul songs, merry-go-round, puppet show and jatra among others. Boat race (nouka baich), bulls race and ‘lathikhela’ (stick fighting) is a festival of the village people in some ares. They come from farflung places to be part of the festivity.