Pohela Boishakh Festival Essay

Pohela Boishakh is a Public festival of the Bengalis; it is celebrated among all Bengalis- irrespective of religious and regional differences. In Bangladesh, it is a national holiday celebrated around 14th April. The traditional greeting for Bengali New Year is â€Å"Shubhà ´ Nà ´bobà ´rsho†. Pohela Boishakh is also the beginning of all business activities. I am lucky enough that I am a Dhaka city dweller. Observance of Pohela Boishakh has become popular in Dhaka. People from all walks of life dressup in traditional Bengali attire in Pohela Boishakh. Men wear dhuti / payejama / lungi and kurta /Panjabi. Young women wear white saris with red borders, and adorn themselves with tip (bindis), churi (bangles) and fÃ… «l (flowers). I bought earlier Panjabi with white and red combination for wearing in Pohela Boishakh. The Pohela Boishakh celebrations and festivities reflect the life in rural Bengal. On this day everything is washed and cleaned. On that day I woke up early in the morning, bathed early in the morning and dressed my new clothes. Pohela Boishakh has now become an integral part of Bengali culture. In Pohela Boishakh special food items were prepared for the guests. I decided to spend much of the day time visiting relatives, friends and neighbours. In Dhaka and other large cities, the festivals begin with people gathering under a big tree. People also find any bank of a lake or river to witness the sunrise. Artists present songs to welcome the New Year, particularly with Rabindranath Tagore’s well-known song â€Å"Esho, he Boishakh†. First I went to Ramna Park. Large numbers of people gathered under the banyan tree at Ramna Park where Chhayanat artists opened the day with Rabindranath Tagore’s famous song, Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho. A similar ceremony welcoming the New Year was also held at the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. Students and teachers of the institute took out a colourful procession and paraded round the campus. I felt happy joining the parade. At noon, I took panta bhat (rice soaked in water), green chilies, onion, and fried Hilsa fish. In the afternoon I along with some of  my friends visited a Baishaki Mela. I went around the fair and bought some earthen jewelry. At about 4 pm I went to Jatiya Press Club where a cultural  was held. I saw a lot of prominent and leading artists over there. They delivered their informative speeches on the significance of the day. At about 7 pm I came back home with a cheerful mind.  I enjoyed the celebration of Pohela Boishakh tremendously. It was a memorable ceremony. My personal impression about the festival of Pohela Boishakh can play an important role in developing the cultural unity without distinction between class, race and religious affiliations. Mixture of western culture and native or traditional cultural is the great example of cultural intrusion?  habit of reading books among the people. It is a device to spread culture, education and knowledge. It changes our outlook on life and widens our domain of learning. It broadens our mind. It is a part and parcel of our national life. We enjoyed the visit tremendously. It was a memorable trip.  Book fair is very important because the it upgrades our thoughts and expands our knowledge. I was very delighted visiting such a fair and gathered some new experience there. I think every celebration of Pohela Boishakh ensure proper security should be taken. The most colorful festival Pohela Boishakh ( Bengali New Year) By Bangladesh summer tour  · Updated over a year ago Let’s Join the most colorful Festival of Bangladesh † Pohela Boishakh ( Happy New Year in Bengali)† in Summer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Bengali New Year or Pà ´hela Boishakh , occurring on 14th April, is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in Bangladesh. Bangla New Year or Pohela Boishakh connects all Ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences. Ethnic Bengalis across the world and from all walks of life unite to celebrate the Public or Universal Festival of Bengalis i.e. Pohela Boishakh; it’s the occasion to welcome the New-Year with a new hope of peace, prosperity and goodwill. In Bangladesh, it is a national holiday celebrated around 14th April according to the official amended calendar designed  by  the  Bangla  Academy. Pohela Boishakh celebration dates back to Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar’s reign. Akbar the Great, the renowned grandson of Zahiruddin Muhammad Babar was the 3rd Mughal Emperor. As discussed earlier; the celebrations started from Akbar’s reign. But the Public celebration of Poyela Boishakh and the large-scale organizations of cultural  events  have  started  more  recently.  The Pohela Boishakh celebrations and festivities reflect the life in rural Bengal. Usually on this day everything is washed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes and then go to visit relatives and friends. Special food items are prepared for the guests. Starting as a rural festival, Pohela Boishakh has now become an integral part of Bengali culture. Boishakhi Fairs are organized in many parts of Bengal. The lifestyle of rural Bengal is showcased in almost all these fairs. Various traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, agricultural products, 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. 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, merrygo-round and Giant wheels are also installed and are enjoyed by the children. The Bengali New Year begins at dawn, and the day is marked with singing, processions, and fairs. Traditionally, businesses start this day with a new ledger, clearing out the old.  People of Bangladesh enjoy a national holiday on Pohela Boishakh. All over  the country people can enjoy fairs and festivals. Singers perform traditional songs welcoming the new year. Vendors sell conventional foods and artisans sell traditional handicrafts. People enjoy traditional jatra plays. Village dwellers of Bangladesh traditionally clean their house and people usually dress up in new clothes. Like other festivals of the region, the day is marked by visiting relatives, friends and neighbors. People prepare special dishes for their guests. The rural festivities have now evolved to become vast events in the cities, especially the capital Dhaka.  In Dhaka and other large cities, the festivals begin with people gathering under a big tree. People also find any bank of a lake or river to witness the sunrise. Artists present songs to welcome the new year, particularly with Rabindranath Tagore’s well-known song â€Å"Esho, he Boishakh†. People from all spheres of life wear traditional Bengali dresses. Women wear traditional saris with their hair bedecked in flowers. Likewise, men prefer to wear traditional panjabis. A huge part of the festivities in the capital is a vivid procession organized by the students and teachers of Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. Nowadays, Pohela Boishakh celebrations also observe a day of cultural unity without distinction between class, race and religious affiliations. Of the major holidays celebrated in Bangladesh and West Bengal, only Pà ´hela Boishakh comes without any preexisting expectations. Unlike Eid ul-Fitr and Durga Pujo, where dressing up in lavish clothes has become a norm, or Christmas where exchanging gifts has become an essential part of the holiday, Pà ´hela Boishakh is about celebrating the simpler, rural roots of the Bengal. Eventually, more people can take part in the festivities without the load of having to reveal one’s class, religion, or finances. I am lucky enough that I am a Dhaka city dweller. Observance of Pohela Boishakh has become popular in Dhaka. On that day I woke up early in the morning and dressed in fine clothes. I decided to spend much of the day time visiting relatives, friends and neighbours. First I went to Ramna Park.  Large numbers of people gathered under the banyan tree at Ramna Park where Chhayanat artists opened the day with Rabindranath Tagore’s famous song, à ¦ Ã  ¦ ¸ à §â€¹, à ¦ ¹Ã  §â€¡ à ¦ ¬Ã  §Ë†Ã  ¦ ¶Ã  §â€¹Ã  ¦â€", à ¦ Ã  ¦ ¸ à §â€¹ à ¦ Ã  ¦ ¸ à §â€¹ Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho (Come, O Boishakh, Come, Come). A similar ceremony welcoming the New Year was also held at the Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. Students and teachers of the institute took out a colourful procession and paraded round the campus. I felt happy joining the parade. At noon, I took panta bhat  (rice soaked in water), green chilies, onion, and fried Hilsa fish. In the after noon I along with some of my friends visited a Baishaki Mela. I went around the fair and bought some earthen jewelry. At about 4 pm I went to Jatiya Press Club where a cultural was held. I saw a lot of prominent and leading artists over there. They delivered their informative speeches on the significance of the day. At about 7 pm I came back home with a cheerful mind.