Pahela Baishakh
The first day of the Bengali new year.
Compiled from encyclopedias and other published sources. I haven't checked every detail myself.
- Date
- 14 April in Bangladesh
- Also called
- Bengali New Year, Nababarsha
- Known for
- Fairs, music, panta-ilish, Mangal Shobhajatra
- Recognised
- Mangal Shobhajatra, UNESCO intangible heritage (2016)
Overview
Pahela Baishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar. In Bangladesh it is a public holiday and falls on 14 April each year.
People wear new clothes, visit fairs and eat a traditional breakfast of panta bhat with fried hilsa. In Dhaka, a colourful procession called Mangal Shobhajatra starts from the Faculty of Fine Arts.
Why it matters
The day belongs to everyone in Bengal, whatever their religion. Shopkeepers traditionally open a new account book, and families settle old debts.