Pohela Boishakh 2018, or the Bengali New Year, is around the corner, and the Bengalis around the country can't wait to make merry and indulge to their heart's content. The Bengali New Year would be celebrated on 15th April 2018. Pohela Boishakh marks the first day of the first month (Baishakh) of the lunisolar Bengali calendar. Interestingly, Pohela Boishakh coincides with other regional festivals like Baisakhi (Punjab), Vishu (Kerala), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu) and Bihu (Assam), when people celebrate the new year with their own local traditions and customs.

Pohela Boishakh is one of the biggest and most significant Bengali festivals, which is celebrated with much fervour and enthusiasm by Bengalis all over the country. It also happens to be a national holiday in Bangladesh. The festival marks the end of the harvest festival, where people thank Gods for the reaps of the season gone by. Pohela Baisakh is a significant day for commerce that's when the new accounts book - the Haal Khaata - is opened by the traders to mark the beginning of the new accounting year.

In Bengali dominated states like West Bengal and Tripura. Fairs, cultural performances and traditional meals are an intrinsic part of the Pohela Boishakh celebrations. On the auspicious day, families clean their houses and paint artful alpona (Bengali version of rangoli) in their courtyards. Women and men dress up in their traditional attires and sing and dance along the Bengali classical and folk tunes. Various other cultural and art performances, like poetry recitation, singing and dramatic representations are also performed during the mass gatherings.

Pohela Baishakh (Bengali New Year) Feasting and Celebrations

No Bengali celebration is ever complete without good food, and a good round of desserts. The Bengali new year is no different. Ilish maach (ilish fish), rice, chanar dal,dhokar dalna, and a variety of other veg and non-veg delicacies are prepared across all Bengali households.

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There is nothing hidden about Bengalis and their love affair with desserts, or Bengali mishti. To start off a year with something sweet is considered to be an auspicious omen, roshogollas, mouchak, patishapta, malpua, mishti doi, and sandesh are some of the most popular sweets distributed and consumed during the Pohela Boishakh.

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Here's wishing all of you a very Happy Bengali New Year!