Hi everyone, good morning from Germany and I hope you are doing well. I’m also doing great. Today I’m going to talk about a cultural tradition from my country that I love. Let’s deep dive into it.

I am a Bengali from Bangladesh with a Hindu farmers background. My grandfather was a farmer and that’s why we follow the culture of peasants in Bangladesh. However, we also celebrate the Bengali traditions. Interestingly in both traditions for Pohela Boishakh is celebrated, although a bit differently. Interestingly, it is celebrated all over Bangladesh.

So, let me introduce you to Pohela Boishakh. It is the first day of first Bengali month of Bengali year. People all over Bangladesh and Kolkata celebrate this day. And it is also celebrated in other cultures like in other parts of India and in Nepal but in different forms. As we follow our own calendar and own years, we just celebrate it different dates. For instance, you may find out in Bangladesh that people are celebrating this day on 14th of April. On the other hand the Hindu Bengalis celebrate it on 15th of April. The same goes for the Nepalese and Indians.

If you look at the mainstream Bengali television, you would find out that the secular Bengali people celebrate the Pohela Boishakh. They make rallies with festoons and cartoons and call it Mongol Shovajatra. The boys wear Punjabi and Pajama and girls and women wear Sarees. Most of the dresses are colorful in order to celebrate the day with beauty. They also sing “Esho hein Boishakh” and invites Boishakh so that it may bring good to our cultures and our people . They also celebrate the day with Panta (watery rice) and Elish (Hilsha fish). It is said that the tradition is followed for years after years. There’s also Rabindra Sangeet organized at Ramna Batamul in order to purification and welcoming a fresh start.You also may find out Boishakhi Melas around the villages in Bangladesh along with Jatra, Baul Songs, Puppet show, and Nagordola. In urban areas, there is concerts, street food festivals, University campus events, art exhibitions and photography works organized.

However, you look at the traditions of Hindu Bengali farmers, we celebrate it in a different way. For instance, we see it as a good day to begin our years and we believe that if we do something good and eat something good in this day, the possibility is higher that we would follow the same for the rest of the days of the year. That’s why we wear new dresses. we also worship to God so that He may bring good to the family. We, then eat something sweet like different types of Chatu, sweets and yogurts. Some people also like Doi Chira in this day. And then in the lunch, we eat vegetarian food. We expect the day would bring something good to the peasant families. During this time, the businessman starts their new notebook and celebrate it through what they halkhata.

So, as you can see in the description that it is not just traditional thing but also a deeply culturally rooted celebration and almost every religion, caste and creed follows it. And that’s why it is always my favorite.

Thank you very much. I hope you liked my post. Feel free to subscribe it if you like it. I wish you a pleasant day!!