April 15, 2022 ,Significance of Poila Baisakh..

This write-up is contributed by Mr. Sugato Roy.

Significance of Poila Baisakh..

For any Bengali, Poila Boisakh is not only the propitious start to the Bengali  New Year or starting of a new financial year for a businessman, but it is an emotion, passion and sentiment for him anytime. Ask any Bengali even overseas, he will celebrate Poila Boisakh in any form, be it by showing his culinary skills and preparing tempting  Bengali cuisines, partying with friends and relatives, organising and participating in musical soirees, adorning the finest Bengali garments, gorging the traditional desserts and sweets,  visiting places of worship and seeking blessings from God.

In Bangladesh also Poila Boisakh is celebrated with great spectacle and pomp. People enjoy special meals and throng the innumerable   Baisakhi Melas.  Recitation programmes and functions including probhat pheri are observed almost everywhere. The main gathering is held at Ramna Batamul in Dhaka where a lovely pageant called Mangal Shobhajatra depicting Bengali culture is brought out. This extraordinary spectacle organised by the Dhaka University students has been adjudged the cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO since 2016. And of course, Tagore’s Shantiniketan has its unique way of observing Poila Boisakh.

A Bengali anywhere under the sun, will always keep in mind Poila Boisakh, come what may and whatever occupation he be in, whether he is at the top of the corporate ladder, a sportsman,  a politician or even an unskilled labourer. Poila Boisakh is the day to observe and start anything auspicious with positive vibes. Even sports clubs worship football bars on the playgrounds like in Kolkata Maidan where the top soccer clubs observe Bar puja.

For the Bengali businessmen, the day starts with visiting any temple to worship the new accounts book and seek the blessings of the Goddess. The evenings are specially meant for entertaining his customers on his business premises, offering cold drinks and sherbet along with a box of the best sweetmeats and a Bengali calendar. For the jewellers, on this day the clients repay the outstandings carried forward from last year which sometimes is offered with extra discounts or discounts in manufacturing charges if an order is placed on that day.

The mouthwatering Bengali dishes whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian,  are in enormous demand on Poila Boisakh. Almost all eateries including reputed hotels and restaurants have on their menu list, the best Bengali dishes for that day. What people miss are the grand old happy days when the womenfolk in the house used to exhibit their finest culinary skills. Traditional  Bengali mishtis are in huge demand too.

Touching the feet of elders and asking for their blessings were a must until a few years ago. Nowadays all these have become things of the past,  as pleasantries and pronam are exchanged mostly through social media because people think they do not have enough time.  Wearing new cloth is almost mandatory in Poila Boisakh. The ritual of gifting new garments to the kids and elders in the family is still followed.

But the real celebrations and observing Poila Boisakh start a month in advance. Bengalis adore window shopping. Markets and malls are teeming with people out on a shopping spree buying anything from a tiny safety pin to the finest sofa sets, upholstery and furniture. The catchphrase is “bumper discount “. For a Chaitra sale deal, the way a Bengali can straighten out a heavier discount for a superior item will put the best of management honchos in embarrassment. Now with online shopping becoming a fad, footfalls in malls have only eased slightly.

The History —- According to the famous Hindu calendar,  Drikpanchang, King Shoshanko, who ruled Bengal centuries ago, initiated the start of the Bengali era in 594 Gregorian calendar year.  Many historians believe that the celebrations of Poila Boisakh and the Bengali New Year started during the reign of Emperor Akbar which coincided with the tax collection on the harvest. The year  1556 according to the Gregorian calendar marks the start of Bongabdo with a merge of Islamic and pre-existing Hindu calenders.

Whatever be the case,  the embellishments and accompaniments may have altered but the traditional warmth and affection connected with Poila Boisakh remain the same.

The advent of Boisakh also means that Tagore’s Birth Anniversary is just around the corner.

Shubho Naboborsho.

Mr. Sugato Roy

GRADUATE FROM ST XAVIER’S COLLEGE AND POST GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA, SPECIALIZING IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT AND ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT.  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF 24 YEARS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY.  HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR  LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY MANAGEMENT.

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