Pohela Boishakh
Also called Pahela Baishakh, Poila Baisakh, Bengali New Year
Bengali New Year, in red and white
What it is
April 14 in Bangladesh, April 14 or 15 in West Bengal
Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar. Bengalis of every religion celebrate it, in Bangladesh and in West Bengal, India. In Bangladesh the date is set as April 14 every year.
How people celebrate
In Dhaka, people gather at sunrise under the big banyan tree in Ramna Park to hear songs welcoming the new year.
Fine arts students at Dhaka University lead a huge parade with giant masks and puppets.
Women wear white saris with red borders and men wear panjabis.
Shopkeepers start a new account book called a halkhata and give customers sweets.
Fairs called boishakhi mela sell toys, crafts and snacks.
What people eat
- Panta bhat and ilish
- Rice soaked overnight in water, eaten with fried hilsa fish.
- Bhorta
- Mashed vegetables or fish mixed with mustard oil, onion and chili.
- Mishti doi
- Sweet yogurt set in a clay pot.
Did you know?
UNESCO added the Dhaka new year parade to its list of the world's cultural heritage in 2016.