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If during mid-April, you find people around you wishing each other Shubho Nababarsho, you will know that you are in Bengali community. Bengali New Year or Poila Boishakh, as it is commonly known, is the mark of a beginning. A beginning of not just the new year, it is the beginning of everything afresh. Businessmen start their new account from the first day of the year it self, which is known as Haalkhata.

The tradition of celebrating Naba Barsha started with Emperor Akbar. During his reign, people were asked to clear all their debts and taxes by the last day of the last month, Chaitra. On first of Boishakh, landlords treated them with sweetmeats. In course of time, festivities and fairs were added to the celebration and gradually, Poila Boishakh celebration became a part of Bengali life.

Chaitra Mela heralds the onset of new beginning when the stock clearance sale reminds that Bengali New Year is here and it is time for cleaning spree. Also, it becomes evident that you need to clear all your dues with the shops as they will close all old accounts and start new ledgers.

Bengali New Year starts with cleaning of houses and decorating the entrance with flowers and ‘alpana’, motifs drawn on floor with rice flour. People wear new clothes and start the day with temple visits. In many places, Poila Boishakh starts with Prabhat Pheri or morning procession. The bright sunny day outside seems to welcome the New Year whole-heartedly.

Sumptuous meal of traditionally Bengali cuisine is the main attraction of Bengali New Year lunch. In this era of air dash, the authentic Bengali delicacies are on the verge of extinction as no one has time or temperament to cook them. Lots of Bengali restaurants offer special package of lunch and dinner which constitute these delicacies like bhetki macher paturi, chital machher muithha or mutton daak bunglow.

Any Bengali description is incomplete without mentioning sweets. Bengal and Bengali is known for sweet fetish. On the first day of Bengali New Year, people enjoy different varieties of sweets like sandesh, kheer kadam, rasmalai, and not to forget, rasogolla. The earthen pot full of rasogolla has become the perfect logo for this community.

Evenings of Poila Boishakh are booked by the cultural activities. People of every age group participate actively in these celebrations. Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrulgeeti fill the sky with a flavor of festivity. Different plays, dance-dramas etc are practiced for days to be performed with perfection. After Durga Puja, Bengali New Year is the only occasion which is celebrated with so much of zeal and enthusiasm. Till date, Poila Boishakh reminds us to celebrate our rich and age old culture, tradition and values and that we should preserve it.