The history Bengali cinema dates back to era of Royal Bioscope Company and Indo British film Co., in 1918. But what Ray gave to the Bengali cinema changed the course of history of the Indian cinema. In the timeline of the Indian cinema, Satyajit Ray evolved as an illustrious phase, still proving its valor down the ages.

The film career of Ray started with Pather Panchali, adapted from the famous book written by Bibhutibhusan Bandopadhyay. He showed his talents as a film maker lavishly in the very first opportunity. This film along with the other two, called Aparajito and Apur Sansar is collectively known as the Apu Trilogy. It revolves around a small village boy, who goes to the city for higher studies and later establishes a world of his own there, totally uprooted from his origins.

In Apu Trilogy what Ray portrayed was a making of a modern human being, i.e. Apu, which happened for the first time in Indian Cinema. As per the history of mankind, human settlements grew up as villages which later became cities and even bigger cities. With the Industrial revolution, more and more manufacturing works in the cities led to generation of income and job opportunities. People from far off places came to the cities to earn a better living. This exodus is termed as the beginning of the modern era.

Apu being a village boy has no idea about a modern world outside, but he is portrayed as inquisitive and innovative. The famous sequence where he and his elder sister Durga run through the field to watch the steam engine is a tale in itself. Train is an important symbol of the modern era as it was the age of speed. In the sequence, Apu could reach the train but by the time Durga reaches it, the train is already gone. Later in the film Durga dies of fever. These events symbolize that Apu, with his clear thoughts and urge to do something new, could adapt to the changing world whereas Durga could not, so she had to leave the world.

In Apu trilogy, the death of the family members one after the other led to a new beginning for Apu and a window of opportunity for him. In the film Aparajito, Apu finishes his school years and wanted to go to Calcutta for higher studies. Once in the city, he got lost in the grandeur of such a scale. The city is held responsible for separating a son from his mother. In Apur Sansar, Ray depicted “one of the cinema’s classic affirmative depiction of married life” which again runs into the death of Apu’s wife and later a new development in Apu’s life with his son.    

Apart from being successful as a film director, Ray also made a mark in giving music for his films. He introduced a unique style of blending western music with Indian and folk, to produce a spectacular effect which is the trademark of his films.  

The rosogolla is perhaps the most famous among all Bengali sweets. Sandesh comes a close second. Made from chhana, fresh cottage cheese, rosogolla and sandesh are examples of the uniqueness of Bengali sweets. Did you know the person famed for preparing sandesh for the first time was Nakur Moyra? Or that the sweet ladikeni was named after Lady Canning, in whose honor it was first prepared?

The classic examples of sweets from Bengal include those prepared in the household kitchens. The women of the house were expert cooks and were known for different kinds of sweets like patishapta (a roll made from rice flour with a filling of khowa kheer), payesh (kheer with rice), chandra puli (half-moon shaped sweets made from coconut), narkel naru (ladoos made from coconut) and so on.

Mishti doi, or sweetened yogurt, is considered one of the essentials of the dessert sections on auspicious occasions. Special occasions in Bengali households also mean the preparation of an array of special sweets. The most common among them is the malpoa. Made from semolina and flour, malpoas are fried and then dipped in thickened sugar syrup for that particular taste.

And who can forget the taste of pithes prepared by our moms and grandmas on special occasions? The wrapped pithes were usually made from rice flour and the filling inside ranged from sweetened khowa to a thickened coconut filling flavored with jaggery. Pithes were often accompanied by sweetened kheer or light liquid jaggery. The variations also included shapes like stars, crescent, and so on.

Bengali cuisine is known for its wide variety. This same variety is evident in its dessert section as well. Bengali sweets are known for their variety and also for the ways, in which the diverse ingredients were used, be it chhana or coconut.

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.