The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

"Esho, Esho, Esho Hey Baishakh

Taposoniswasbaye Mumurshure Dao Uraye,

Botsorer Aborjona Dur Hoye Jak,"

Thus Rabindranath Tagore welcomes Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali year, which is today. From today Bengali year 1415 will start.

Pahela Baishakh is not only celebrated in Bangladesh in a festivity but also in West Bengal of India. This is the main festival for Bangalees and it is the only festival, which transcends religious barrier.

In Bangladesh Pahela Baishakh is a national holiday.

The Bengalees at home and abroad will celebrate Pahela Baishakh today amid funfair, festivity and gaiety to hail the Bengali New Year with a renewed hope for a better future.

Traders and shopkeepers open 'Halkhata,' new books of account, and entertain customers and visitors with sweets on the first day of the New Year as part of the tradition.

Akbar the Great introduced the system of celebrating 'Nababarsha' or Pahela Baishakh, 1st of Baishakh, in the then Bengal.

Under the Mughals, agricultural taxes were collected according to the Hijri calendar. However, as the Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar, the agricultural year does not coincide with the fiscal. As a result, farmers were hard-pressed to pay taxes out of season. In order to streamline tax collection, the Mughal Emperor Akbar ordered a reform of the calendar. Accordingly, Fatehullah

Shirazi, a renowned scholar and astronomer, formulated the Bengali year on the basis of the lunar Hijri and Bengali solar calendars. The new 'Fasli San' (agricultural year) was introduced on March 10, 1584, but was dated from Akbar's ascension to the throne in 1556. The New Year subsequently became known as 'Bangabda' or Bengali year.

The historical importance of Pahela Baishakh in the Bangladesh context may be dated from the observance of the day by Chhayanaut, a cultural troupe, in 1965. In an attempt to suppress Bengali culture, the Pakistan Government had banned Tagore songs. Protesting against this move, Chhayanaut opened their Pahela Baishakh celebrations at Ramna Park with Tagore's song welcoming the month.

The day continued to be celebrated in East Pakistan as a symbol of Bengali culture. After 1972 it became a national festival, a symbol of the Bangladesh nationalist movement and an integral part of the people's cultural heritage.

The most colourful celebration of the Bengali New Year begins at the Ramna Batamul at dawn with an elaborate programme undertaken by Chhayanaut. Artistes from Chhayanaut will welcome the day with Rabindranath Tagore's famous song 'Esho Hey Baishakh, Esho, Esho,' under the banyan tree at the Ramna Park.

People from all walks of life will assemble at Ramna Park, the hub of the festival, from the break of dawn.

Men, wearing panjabi-payjama, women, attired in sari with red borders, and children in colourful dresses all will throng traditional Baishakhi Melas, fairs, and other cultural functions in the city and elsewhere in the country.

People will partake of 'Panta Bhat' (watered rice) with fried hilsha, lentils, green chilli and onions at home, restaurants and fairs following the rich tradition of Bengali culture.

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser dr Fakhruddin Ahmed gave separate messages on the occasion conveying New Year's greetings to the countrymen and all Bengali-speaking people across the world.

In Dhaka city, 6,094 law-enforcers will be on the alert to fend off any unpleasant incident at venues of celebrations.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) declared off-limit to all vehicles roads stretching from Matshya Bhaban to Shahbagh and Doyel Chattar to TSC of the Dhaka University. A total of 24 CCTV cameras would be set up across the capital.

Members of the law-enforcement agencies will distribute drinking water among people at Ramna Park during the programme and Fire Brigade and ambulance will also be in place. Security measures would also be taken at the cinema halls and diplomatic zone.

Different socio-cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day. Bangla Academy and Nazrul Institute will organise separate programmes to welcome the Bengali New Year. The Liberation War Museum will stage various programmes that include dance, 'puthi-path' and folk songs at 10:00am on the day.

Though the observance of Pahela Baishakh has become popular in the urban areas, but New Year's festivities are closely linked with rural life in Bengal. Usually on the day everything is scrubbed and cleaned. People bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes and then go to visit relatives, friends and neighbours. Special foods are prepared to entertain guests. Baishakhi fairs are arranged in many parts of the country. Various agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics 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, Palagan, Kavigan, Jarigan, Gambhiragan, Gazirgan and Alkaap gan. They present folk songs as well as Baul, Marfati, Murshidi, and Bhatiali songs. Narrative plays like Laily-Majnu, Yusuf-Zulekha and Radha-Krishna are staged. Among other attractions of these fairs are puppet shows and merry-go-rounds for children.