By Alok Acharja:
Every nation has its own traditional ceremonies, diversity, and traditions, which reveal the heritage, culture, and customs of that nation. Every nation has its own dresses, songs, and customs. That nation becomes known for those clothes and customs. If we look at Western countries, we can see that even though they are modern, they still observe their customs on certain days. China and Japan have also retained their own clothes and customs. They even observe their rich dances and songs. When it comes to Bengalis’ own ceremonies, Pahela Baishakh comes first. It is the bearer and carrier of Bengalis’ own culture.
Pahela Baishakh awakens the sense of Bangalis that is present in the thoughts and consciousness of Bengalis. When our country is also being swept away by the tide of foreign culture, Pahela Baishakh awakens our own consciousness beyond that. So it is not just a ceremony but a day related to our existence. Bengalis are eagerly waiting to welcome Baishakh. There are various arrangements. From the first hour of Baishakh, there is a program of singing of Chhayanaut at Batamul in Ramna. As soon as the sun rises, the Batamul courtyard becomes full of wishes for the good of the new year. Everyone’s voice rings out together – ‘Esho hey Baishakh, Esho, Esho.’ A procession is taken out on the streets by making various masks and statues from the Fine Arts Institute.
Now, students take out such colorful rallies in many places in the country. This procession is known as Mangal Shobhajatra. Because this procession calls for the removal of all the darkness, differences, hatred and bad culture within Bengalis. The procession removes all the evils and highlights Bengali’s own culture. UNESCO has recognized this procession as a World Cultural Heritage in 2016. Bengalis have various arrangements to welcome the new year with the heat of Chaitra and the cold breeze of Kalbaisakhi. Pahela Baishakh or the first day of the Bengali year is one of the joyful festivals in Bengali life. Even in the dark clouds of Kalbaisakhi, joy and enthusiasm are mixed with. Every year, Pahela Baishakh is welcomed in the same way. Everyone, regardless of religion or caste, joins this festival. Pahela Baishakh is a tradition and a healthy cultural trend.
According to the Hindu solar calendar, Bengali was celebrated for twelve months long ago. This solar calendar used to start from the middle of April. At that time, however, the New Year was not celebrated to welcome the new year as it is now. Rather, it was related to agriculture and the harvest. That is, the Bengali New Year was related to agriculture and farmers. The celebration of the first Baishakh began during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Basically, the subjects were also obliged to collect taxes and pay duties on the last day of the month of Chaitra. On the orders of Emperor Akbar, the rules of the Bengali year were made based on the solar year and the Hijri year. The Bengali year began to be counted from March 10 or March 11, 1584 AD. However, this counting method came into effect from the time of Akbar’s accession to the throne (November 5, 1556).
On the first day of Baishakh, the residents of their region were treated to sweets by making sweets. Tax collection also took place on the last day of the month of Chaitra. On this day, various groups used to organize various events. Initially, this year was called the harvest year. Later it became known as Bangabd or Bangla Barsho. From that time till today, its importance has increased in various ways and has reached the present time. That is, the Pahela Baishakh of that day has entered a new trend today. There has been more cultural awakening. It takes time for a day to change, to become the center of cultural awakening. It takes a craze to spread from hand to hand, from mouth to mouth. The way we were being seduced by English culture, the way the trend of greeting the New Year was being created, the Bengali’s own identity may be questioned. The way we started leaning towards English culture, today we have learned to embrace the new year, that is, the Bengali year, at a faster pace than before. People have learned to embrace it more. In this era of globalization, this cultural progress is spreading very quickly. Today, Pahela Baishakh is for everyone. People of all classes and professions, of all ages. Although a lot of time has passed since the first day of Baishakh became a day of universal joy and participation, Bengalis have learned to celebrate it today. They have been able to free themselves from all the setbacks. Today, Pahela Baishakh means a festive day in the life of Bengalis. That landlord is no more, that rent is not collected. There is only a festival. And the custom of eating sweets on the first day remains. And the tendency to eat panta-hilsha to retain one’s own tradition has been added.
May the whole of Bengal be illuminated with the light of good fortune. There are more festivals, but how many more universal festivals are there like Pahela Boishakh. Where caste and color differences do not stand up. There is no word to say. Where we all have to speak. We have to spread joy from soul to soul. That is why Bengali New Year teaches us to be generous. We go out with joy with the hope that the new year will be good for us. We look around us anew. We keep the oldness away and welcome youth. The first day of Baishakh marks the beginning of summer in nature. This change in the form of nature begins in Chaitra. The great influence of Baishakh can be seen in Bengali literature.
Especially a different form of Baishakh, namely Kalbaishakhi, which is actually a disaster on the one hand and the destroyer of all evil forces on the other. It has been imagined in the city. Again, the months of fruits has started in Bangladesh with this month. Where there is an abundance of seasonal fruits in the market. There is some difference in the celebration of Pohela Baishakh in the villages and ganj with the urban Pohela Baishakh. Rural fairs, stick games, and Jatrapala are organized on Pohela Boishakh. Traditional rural food such as nad, moa, laddu, jhuri, banshi, putul, charka, etc. are the main attractions of the fair. This difference has also affected our literature. It has divided it into village and city-based structures. Two streams have been created in literature.
On one hand, rural life, festivals, simple and ordinary life and on the other hand, the hustle and bustle of the city, the honking of cars and in the midst of this, the strong desire to start life anew begins with the conviction that begins on the first day of the year. Life moves forward in both ways. There are differences in culture. Those Baishakhi images emerge in the writings of poets and writers. Bangladesh is a country of six seasons and twelve months. Each season has different characteristics. Among all the other months, Baishakh has unique characteristics. It creates a sense of Bengali’s own consciousness.
Alok Acharja is an Essayist and Columnist. He can be reached at sopnil.roy@gmail.com