Timeless Suchitra Sen

'MohaNayika' Suchitra Sen

Bengali beauty Suchitra Sen passed away in the morning today January 17, 2014. An incomparable loss to the Bangla film industry. 

Today, in the morning a news popped up in my cellphone - "চলে গেলেন মহানায়িকা  সুচিত্রা  সেন" (Legendary actress Suchitra Sen passed away) . I instantly read it out aloud. My mother looked so devastated on hearing the news, she tried hiding her tears but failed. This reminds me of how a generation loved her. 

Suchitra sen had chosen a life of recluse, we always wondered why did she do that? And, now this "Why?" will yield no answers.  Though at times we felt irritated by the fact that she remained so secluded from the society, from her fans but then we always loved her. She has been the only actress who never played any role other than being the lead. 

She has passed away but she will always be remembered as the " Maha-Nayika" of Bangla cinema. Rest In Peace Suchitra Sen. 

এই  পথ শেষ হবে না....

Why turn Indira Bhavan into Nazrul Bhavan?

Indira Bhavan, Kolkata

The decision of the West Bengal state Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee to turn Indira Bhavan into "Nazrul Bhawan" needs to be reconsidered. I loved her earlier decision to setup Kazi Nazrul Research Centre because previous governments had not done enough to commemorate Nazrul, whose literary works, partiotic spirits and lyrical compositions were praised throughout the country. 

The ongoing controversy on the renaming issue had raised everyone's eyebrows and made us thing that why was it necessary to rename Indira Bhavan and house the Nazrul Academy and museum in it and whether this is a right decision to do so. We know that West Bengal doesn't have a permanent Chief Ministers house which hampers the image of "Brand Bengal", so Indira Bhavan could have been turned into the chief ministers residence instead avoiding all the unnecessary controversy.

The question now arises is that: 

Why turn Indira Bhavan into Nazrul Bhavan?

• This is undoubtedly an unwanted and unnecessary move to turn Indira Bhavan into Nazrul Bhavan. The building has its own history intact and it's totally unfair to play with it. How can the present government change the name of a Historical Building? Its's nothing more than political game-play.
• On the other hand, its shameful that the government wants to dedicate an old and used building for Kavi Nazrul. Its disgraceful to house the Nazrul Research Centre in this old two storey building. Its a matter of shame for us, the Bengali community of West Bengal that- our leaders are now more interested in playing politics instead of doing something constructive. 
• Why not construct a brand new modern building dedicated to our beloved rebel poet Kavi Nazrul Islam? It would be a matter of pride for the entire Bengali community. We can boast of having a modern structure equipped with all modern amenities and have an architectural design that will suit the purpose of the building. 

In the midst of this name change controversy, Nazrul kin- Misti Kazi expressed her grief saying,"Thre is no reason for such controversies. It pains us to see such debates over Kazi Nazrul Islam who is a world poet." 


Peace and Development of Bengal is all we need.

Poush Parbon & Pitha's Delight

Pitha | Image Courtesy: Wikipedia

The Bengali month of Poush, the winter month brings different opportunities for the Bengalis to hog on to their favourite sweet delicacies. The last day of Poush is celebrated as Poush Sankranti in West Bengal and Bangladesh. This day is considered auspicious among the Hindus and pilgrims from different parts of the country gather at Gangasagar, the point where Ganga river meets the Bay of Bengal. Pilgrims come here with the belief that- an early morning dip in the river will wash away their earthly sins, this fair is knows as "Gangasagar Mela". 

This last day of Poush is celebrated as "Poush Parbon" (Bengali: পৌষপার্বণ |Meaning: The Poush Festival) or "Pithe Parbon" (পিঠেপারবন) - this is the most awaited day for all the bengali sweet lovers as various sweet delicacies are prepared. Since olden times, mothers, grandmothers used to make  Patishapta Pithas, Puli pithas, Malpuas and various other types of pithas and these pithas are to be coupled with Nolen Gur (a exclusive jaggery that is produced by date trees or palm trees only in winter months and only in Bengal). This can be said as the festival that is purely based on the Pleasure of eating and tickling the taste buds with delightful Pithas. 

Pithas, supposed to be home made sweets though now they are commercially available during Pitha Parbon, generally it has its outer layer composed of rice or wheat flour and has inner stuffing with different saviouries like grated coconut mixed with nolen gur etc. There are various other types of Pithas which are made in the households. 


Mothers and grandmothers take charge of pithe parbon, and preparations for pitha making starts about a week before the Poush Parbon. Truely i need to mention that, technology has made preparation methods much easier and faster compared to early days.


In today's fast paced life it is not possible for every mother to prepare pithas specially if she's a working woman. Thus, keeping this into consideration "Poush Parbon" events are organized in various localities in Bengal where we get to taste not just pithas but also mouth watering Malpuas & Nolen Gurer payesh. If a person wants to enjoy the true essence of "Poush Parbon" its not the cities but the villages of Bengal that takes away all the credit. 


Enjoy Poush Parbon, stuff yourself with loads of sweets but don't forget to hit the gym the next morning !

District status for Siliguri

The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland (to be carved out of West Bengal) has risen once again in the Darjeeling hills in-spite of the recent administrative setup of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA). This calls for fresh trouble in the hills and reminds me of the politics played by some Gorkha leaders in creating differences between Gorkhas and Bengalis in the past. Though i firmly believe that the demand for separate Gorkhaland state cannot be totally ruled out; I also strongly believe Siliguri has nothing to do with Gorkhaland or the recent GTA setup and that Siliguri subdivision should be made a separate district.

Developing Siliguri: City Centre Mall

Siliguri (শিলিগুড়ি) is the 32nd metropolitan city of India according to the 2011 census data.  Its a thriving city and bustling business center which should not be halted by strikes or protests and in no sense the development of the city should be hampered. Prevalence of peace and unity among the residents is of utmost importance. The only solution to maintain peace and harmony in Siliguri is by the formation of a separate Siliguri District (শিলিগুড়ি জেলা).

The new Siliguri District (শিলিগুড়ি জেলা) should comprise of the complete Siliguri Subdivision (শিলিগুড়ি মহকুমা) which consists of Siliguri Municipal Corporation and four community development blocks namely: Matigara, Naxalbari, Phasidewa and Kharibari. The formation of this new Siliguri District will accelerate the rate of development and bring about peace in the region. Thus, it will no more be a political playground for the political outfits such as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and the Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bachao Committee (BOBBC). 

Like it or not- the fact today is pretty clear: Signs of Bengal has been erased from the Gorkha dominated Darjeeling district over the years. Thus, the separation of the Bengali dominated Siliguri Subdivision from the present Darjeeling district would provide more homogeneity to the remaining Darjeeling Disctrict- which would comprise of the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseoung and Kalimpong. Thus, Siliguri will be off limits for the Gorkha Agitations, which will bring the much awaited peace back in the region and the city corporation will therefore be able to focus on the developmental issue which is for the benefit of all.

West Bengal needs 51% FDI in retail

51% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail is the need of the hour in India and particularly in West Bengal. Presently FDI is not allowed in Multi-Brand Retailing in India. Whereas it should not only be permitted but also highly encouraged because it will surely benefit the producers (farmers) and the consumers. I’ll discuss it further in this article.

Another Historical Blunder in the making!

Mamata Bannerjee’s strong opposition to 51% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail is like the opposition to computerization by the Communists in the 1960’s- 1970’s and that’s why this opposition is really hard to digest. Opposing the central government just for the sake of opposing is not-at-all a constructive movement for the future of West Bengal. West Bengal is lagging decades behind the progressive states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka in almost every aspect – Apart from Kolkata there’s no other city which was developed in the past 60 years. We the people of West Bengal have unanimously voted Mamata didi into Power to get rid of the tyrannical communists and their ideologies thus, it’s high time that the state “Opens up” for new ideas and new investments wiping out words like “Cholche na- Cholbe na!” out of our dictionary!

Quick-look at the Present Retail scenario:

• Crumbling Infrastructure: The logistics of the retail chain is still lying in the medieval age leading to inefficient supply of goods. The lack of cold storages in the country and the pathetic Public Distribution system leads to an annual wastage of about 30% fruitsand vegetables produced in India.

• Middlemen’s Domination: The middlemen buy produce from the farmers mostly on credit at slashed down prices. Then the produce passes through a series of an average five to six middlemen until it reaches the retailer. In this whole process profit margins of these middlemen plus the profit margin of the retailer hikes the price of the product up to three to four times the actual price. Ultimately the Farmers and the Consumers are the ones who are losing out the bargain. Many a times the middlemen and intermediary traders create false shortage of goods to shoot-up prices.

51% FDI in Multi-Brand retail is for the betterment of “Ma-Mati-Manush”:

• FDI in retail sector will be very beneficial to the farmers. The farmers will earn profits directly and will get rid of the middlemen and thus they can modernize their farming techniques for better production. Thus, if the farmers benefit, they will sell the product at lower prices in the market this will further create a win-win situation for the farmers and the consumers by wiping out middlemen menace.

• Organized retailing is at a nascent stage in India whereas 97% of retailing business is run by the unorganized retailers. The entry of retail giants like Wal-Mart, Tesco etc  in Indian retail market would create lakhs of jobs within five to six years. 

• Another effect of allowing FDI in retail trade would be improvement in quality standards and consumer expectations as inflow of FDI will surely emphasize quality control and bring about competitive pricing. 

• Opening up the doors for global retail giants will not only pump in the competition in the retail sector but will also help to establish a direct link between the farmers and the consumers thus, benefitting both. They would surely be interested to develop their own logistics which will be far better than the existing system thus reducing the amount of wastage. Thus, the end consumers will no longer have shell-out extra money for wastage and shortage of products.

• Development of organized retail chain will boost the economy, greater GDP, greater tax collection and more employment and that too better paying employment. It will bring about advancement in agricultural techniques, supply chain improvement, tourism, greater sourcing from India. Thus, FDI should not be just allowed but encouraged.

Undoubtedly West Bengal is in a mess. We need better infrastructure which can be achieved by opening up routes for Foreign Direct Investment. FDI in retail is must for the benefit of the Farmers , the consumers and the Government. 

Thumbs up for Anti-Maoist Drive

A Step towards Peace in Jungle Mahal or a Call for fierce & Violent attacks but definitely a huge setback for the Maoists. The 58-year-old top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji was encountered by joint operational forces in a forest in West Midnapore district of Poschim Bongo (West Bengal).

The CRPF has confirmed that 207 Cobra Battalion, 184 CRPF battalion along with Bengal state police killed the top Maoist leader in a joint operation.

Union Home Secretary RK Singh said, "Our officers have told us that Kishenji has been killed. It's a huge setback for Maoists."

Maoists & Terrorists - Aren't they all same?

Now its time people should give a second thought about these Maoists - Are they any different from the Terrorists? 

The answer is straightaway "NO!".

• The Maoists are the home-grown terror outfits formed to fight back against the callous handling of the tribals by the Government of India.
• They took up arms for their rights in the mid 1960's. I believe the Government was and still is primarily responsible for their formation but the situation today is totally opposite.
• They (Naxals) have killed and terrorized numerous of innocent people. 
• They should return to mainstream... yes! but how long should we wait?
• The train schedules passing through Naxal Affected areas have been changed since long.. but till date the Indian Railway is not confident about providing total security to these trains thus the train schedules have been yet unchanged - Causing great inconvenience for the passengers.
• There are reports that the Maoists are being funded by External Sorces (Other Nations) - This cannot be tolerated at any cost.

Yes, We stand for Human Rights ! We want the Naxals (Maoists) to get back into the mainstream; but there's a limit for everything and they cannot go on killing and creating trouble for common people. If they do then they are no less than Terrorists. |Peace|

Pohela Boishakh | Bengali New Year

Bangla New Year [Bangla: বাংলা নববর্ষ Bangla Nôbobôrsho] or Pohela/Poyela Boishakh [পহেলা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh or পয়লা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh] marks the first day of the Bangla Calendar. Poyela Boishakh is celebrated with great fervor in the South Asian region of Bengal (Bangladesh and Indian/West Bengal) and among Bengali communities living in the Indian states of Tripura and Assam (specially in Barak Valley [Bangla: বরাক উপত্যকা]). Poyela Boishakh coincides with the New Years in many other Southern Asian calendars.

Bangla New Year or Pohela Boishakh connects all Ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences. Ethnic Bengalis across the world and from all walks of life unite to celebrate the Public or Universal Festival of Bengalis i.e. Pohela Boishakh; it’s the occasion to welcome the New-Year with a new hope of peace, prosperity and goodwill. Poyela Boishakh generally falls on 14^th or 15^th of April of the Georgian calendar. In Bangladesh, it is a national holiday celebrated around 14^th April according to the official amended calendar designed by the Bangla Academy. In India, in Indian/West Bengal & Assam it is a public (state) holiday and is publicly celebrated on 15^th of April

History of Pohela Boishakh | পহেলা বৈশাখের ইতিহাস

• Pohela Boishakh celebration dates back to Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar’s [জালাল উদ্দিন মোহাম্মদ আকবর] reign. Akbar the Great, the renowned grandson of Zahiruddin Muhammad Babar [জহিরুদ্দিন মুহম্মদ বাবর] was the 3^rd Mughal Emperor. In order to ease tax collection, Akbar-e-Azam changed the tradition of agricultural tax collection according to Hijri calendar [হিজরী সন] and ordered a reform of the calendar because the Hijri calendar, being a lunar calendar- did not coincide with the harvest sessions and thus the farmers faced severe difficulties in paying taxes out of season.

• The Royal Astrologer of Emperor Akbar's court, Aamir Fatehullah Siraji [আমির ফাতেউল্লাহ সিরাজী], was the one who actually devised this calendar, after performing a research on the lunar Hijri and Solar calendar[সৌর সন]. The unique characteristic of the Bengali year was that, rather than being a lunar calendar, it was based on an amalgamation of the solar and lunar year. This was indeed a great development, as the solar and lunar years were formulated in very different methods.

• Initially this calendar was named as “Fasli San” [ফসলি সন] (agricultural year) and then Bônggabdo [বঙ্গাব্দ] or Bangla Year was introduced on 10/11 March 1584, but was dated from 5^th November 1556 or 963 Hijri. This was the day that Akbar defeated Himu in the second Battle of Panipat to ascend the throne. This not only glorified his victory but also streamlined revenue collection into an orderly process.

• It was Akbar-e-Azam’s directive to settle all dues on the last day of Choitro. The next day was the first day of the New Year (Poyela Boishakh), the day for a new beginning; landlords would distribute sweets among their tenants, and Businessmen would open a “HalKhata” [হালখাতা] (new accounts book) and close their old ones. Businessmen used to invite their customers to share sweets and renew their business relationship with them. There were fairs and festivities allover and gradually Poyela Boishakh became a day of celebration.
• Another study shows that , King Shoshangko who ruled ancient Bengal might have actually started the Bengali era. Which means the Bangla calendar started from value one, the starting point is estimated to be on Monday, 14th April 594 in proleptic Gregorian calendar and Monday, 12th April 594 in the Julian Calendar.

Celebration of Pohela Boishakh | পহেলা বৈশাখ উজ্জাপন

Pohela Boishakh is a Public festival [সার্বজনীন উৎসব] of the Bengalis; it is celebrated among all Bengalis- irrespective of religious and regional differences. As discussed earlier; the celebrations started from Akbar’s reign. But the Public celebration of Poyela Boishakh and the large-scale organizations of cultural events have started more recently.

Celebration of Pohela Boishakh, Dhaka [My Sincere Thanks to S.M. Tanvir Ayon for this Magnificent Snapshot. ]

Rabindranath Tagore had said, 'প্রতিদিন মানুষ ক্ষুদ্র, দীন, একাকী কিন্তু উৎসবের দিনে মানুষ বৃহৎ, সে সমস্ত মানুষের সঙ্গে একত্র হইয়া বৃহৎ, সেদিন সমস্ত মনুষ্যত্বের শক্তি অনুভব করিয়া মহৎ।' [“Prōtidin mānush khudrō, deen, ekāki. Kintu Utsōber dine mānush brihōt, se sōmōstō mānusher sōnge āekōtrō hōiyā brihōt, sedin sōmōstō mōnushōtver shōkti ōnubhōv kōriyā mōhōt”]. The summary of the statement is that, a person feels stronger, complete & united when he’s among other fellow mates on the occasion of a festival as compared to daily life. Truly, socializing brings a lot of change in the personality of a person; it actually changes his outlook towards the world and makes him broad minded, well-mannered and a better person indeed. Nowadays it’s seen that, due to our busy schedule and hectic life we tend to forget the purpose of the festivals after they are over; people come together during festivals, forget their differences but as soon as the festival is over the differences are highlighted once again!

The Poyela Boishakh celebrations and festivities reflect the life in rural Bengal. Usually on this day everything is washed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes and then go to visit relatives and friends. Special food items are prepared for the guests. Starting as a rural festival, Poyela Boishakh has now become an integral part of Bengali culture.

Elish Mach | Hisla Fish

People from all walks of life dress-up in traditional Bengali attire: Men wear dhuti / payejama / lungi and kurta /Panjabi. Young women wear white saris with red borders, and adorn themselves with tip (bindis), churi (bangles) and fūl (flowers). Its like a custom to start the day with the traditional breakfast of Pantā-Bhāt (leftover rice soaked in water), onion, Shōbuj Lōnkā (green chillies), Āchār (pickles), dāl (lentils) & Bhāja Elish Māch (fried Hilsa fish).

Boishakhi Fairs are organized in many parts of Bengal. The lifestyle of rural Bengal is showcased in almost all these fairs. Various traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, agricultural products, as well as various kinds of food and sweets are sold at these fairs. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers and dancers staging jatra (traditional plays), pala gan, kobigan, jarigan, gambhira gan, gazir gan and alkap gan. They present folk songs as well as baul, marfati, murshidi and bhatiali songs. Narrative plays like Laila-Majnu, Yusuf-Zulekha and Radha-Krishna are staged. Among other attractions of these fairs are puppet shows, merry-go-round and Giant wheels are also installed and are enjoyed by the children.

Historical Importance of Poyela Boishakh in Bangladesh | বাংলাদেশে পহেলা বৈশাখের ঐতিহাসিক গুরুত্ব

In an attempt to suppress Bengali culture, the Pakistani Government had banned poems written by Rabindranath Tagore, the most famous poet and writer in Bengali literature. Protesting this move, Chhayanat opened their Poyela Boishakh celebrations at Ramna Park with Tagore's song welcoming the month in 1965. The day continued to be celebrated in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as a symbol of Bengali culture. After 1972 it became a national festival, a symbol of the Bangladesh nationalist movement and an integral part of the people's cultural heritage. Later, in the mid- 1980s the Institute of Fine Arts added color to the day by initiating the Boishakhi parade, which is much like a carnival parade. In the big metropolitans like Dhaka and Chittagong this day is marked by mass crowd flocking to hundreds of open air concerts and cultural programs, mask rallies etc.

DHAKA, Bangladesh | ঢাকা, বাংলাদেশ

Songs Rendered by Chhayanat at Ramna Batmul
Courtesy:Ershad Ahmed's Blog-Dhaka Daily Photo

In Dhaka, large numbers of people pour out of their houses and gather early in the morning under the banyan tree at Ramna Park [রমনা বটমুল]. Along with the rising sun, the Chhayanat [ছায়ানট] artists sing the famous song of Tagore in chorus, “এসো, হে বৈশাখ, এসো এসো” Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho (Come, O Boishakh, Come, Come), welcoming Boishakh.

Dhaka’s Poyela Boishakh celebration is incomplete without the “Mangal Shobhajatra”. Students and teachers of the Dhaka University’s Institute of Fine Arts (ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের চারুকলা ইনস্টিটিউট) take out a colorful procession (known as “Mangal Shobhajatra”) and parade on different streets and finally returns to the Fine arts Institute. This procession mainly consists of Arts & crafts like (cutouts of tigers, owls, dragon-fly etc. and different types of masks) these colorful pieces of art display the elements of Bengali culture and resemble lifestyle of rural and modern Bengal. People of all ages and irrespective of class and profession take part in this procession. Since 1989 this Procession (Shobhajatra) has become an important event and also a major tourist attraction.

Dhakar Rastay Nemeche Sundor Pori!
[Image Click by: S.M. Tanvir Ayon]

Colorful Processions on Pohela Boishakh, Dhaka
[My Sincere Thanks to S.M. Tanvir Ayon for this Image]

Apart from these, various cultural programs are organized by social and cultural organizations all over Dhaka. Newspapers and magazines bring out special supplements. Targeting the Poyela Boishakh event, various movies, music albums, books etc. are released and special programs are also telecasted on television and radio.

Many old festivals connected with New Year's Day have disappeared, while new festivals have been added. With the abolition of the zamindari system, the punya connected with the closing of land revenue accounts has disappeared. Kite flying in Dhaka and bull racing in Munshiganj used to be very colourful events. Other popular village games and sports were horse races, bullfights, cockfights, flying pigeons, and boat racing. Some festivals, however, continue to be observed; for example, bali (wrestling) in Chittagong and gambhira in Rajshahi are still popular events.

Pohela Boishakh celebration has also hit the dancefloor of the pubs and clubs in the major cities, as an increasing number of parties are being organized nowadays for the youth. Thus, giving the celebration a western touch but keeping the indigenous feel intact.

CHOTTOGRAM, Bangladesh | চট্টগ্রাম, বাংলাদেশ

The centre of attraction of the Poyela Boishakh celebrations in the port city Chottogram is the DC Hill Park [ডিসি পাহাড় পার্ক]. Sammilitō Sanskritik Jot [সম্মিলিত সাংস্কৃতিক জোটে] organizes a two day festival to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the New Year. Various cultural events are organized here including plays etc. Public celebration of Poyela Boishakh in Chottogram was started in 1973; the initiative was taken by the politicians to promote Bengali culture.

• Chottogram Hill Tracts | চট্টগ্রামের পার্বত্য জেলা : In the Hill tracts of Chottogram three different ethnic minority groups have their individual New Year celebrations. Boisuk [বৈশুখ] of Tripura People, Sangrai [সাংগ্রাই] of Marma people and Biju [বিজু] of Chakma people; presently they have come together to celebrate it commonly as Boi-Sa-Bi [বৈ-সা-বি], a day of a wide variety of festivities; specially need to mention the water festival [জল উৎসব] of the Marma people.

KHULNA, Bangladesh | খুলনা, বাংলাদেশ

Pohela Boishakh Rally organized by Shokha Moyukh

Pohela Boishakh is celebrated in Khulna with enormous joy and enthusiasm. People from all walks of life take part in the Borshoboron Rally (বর্ষবরণ পদযাত্রা) organized by Khulna Sonskriti Kendro(খুলনা সংস্কৃতিকেন্দ্র).

College students take great effort in designing festoons, banners, colourful masks for this event. A newly formed non-governmental cultural organization Shokha Moyukh celebrated Pohela Boishakh at the campus of Govt. B L College, Khulna. The rally was followed by a cultural function at the campus. The event was organized by the students with support from the college faculty.

Kolkata and West Bengal | কলকাতা এবং পশ্চিম বঙ্গ

Kolkata, the sovereign of Bengalis in India; witnesses some of the grand celebrations of Poyela Boishakh. In Kolkata and rest of Indian/West Bengal, Poyela Boishakh and indeed the entire month of Boishakh is considered auspicious time for marriages, opening of new business ventures etc. Choitro is the Last month of the Bangla year; the garment traders give special discounts throughout the month. The last day of Choitro, is celebrated as Choitro Sankranti among the Hindu community, and Charak Pujo  is held on this day. On this very same day Charak Mela/fair is organized in various parts of rural Bengal; some really miraculous acrobatics are performed by the members and these stunts are quite risky indeed.

Boishakhi Jatra, AJC Bose Road, Kolkata
Courtesy: New Year Photo Gallery Blog

The day of Poyela Boishakh is a day of cultural events. Like Bangladesh, here also people wake up & bathe early in the morning and dress up in traditional Bengali attire. Many go for Probhat Pheri (a parade similar to “Shobhajatra” in Bangladesh, but it’s not as colorful as that) to welcome the first day of the New Year singing Rabindra Sangeet, here also the song “এসো, হে বৈশাখ, এসো এসো” Esho, he Boishakh, Esho Esho is very popular.

Pohela Boishakh is also the occasion when the whole family comes for a get together; youngsters touch feet of elders seeking benediction (আশীর্বাদ), and peers greet each other Suvo Nôbobôrsho with a hug (Kolakuli কলাকুলি). The celebration remains incomplete without “mishit mukh” exchanging sweets with the near and dear ones.

Businessmen open new accounting books (HalKhata) on this day; for the Bengali Hindu businessmen HalKhata begins only after performing puja, “Swastik” sign is drawn on the HalKhata by the priests. Devotees are seen in front of the Kalighat temple (কালীঘাট মন্দির), in long queues, from late night. Devotees offer Puja to receive the blessings of the almighty.

The Government of West Bengal organizes various fairs and cultural events in different parts of the state. The most famous of these is Bangla Sangit Mela, held at Nandan-Rabindra Sadan ground.

Other Nations | অন্যান্য দেশ 

Apart from Bengal, Poyela Boishakh is also celebrated by the Bengali community living in United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia etc.

Boishakhi Mela: Bengalis (both Bangladeshis and Indian Bengalis) welcoming
Pohela Boishakh in Sacramento, California. Courtesy: Siliconeer

Today, Pohela Boishakh celebrations also mark a day of cultural unity without distinction between class and religious affiliations. Of the major holidays celebrated in Bangladesh and West Bengal, only Pôhela Boishakh comes without any preexisting expectations (specific religious identity, culture of gift-giving, etc). Unlike holidays like Eid ul-Fitr & Durga Pujo, where dressing up in lavish clothes has become a norm, or Christmas where exchanging gifts has become an integral part of the holiday, Pôhela Boishakh is really about celebrating the simpler, rural roots of the Bengal. As a result, more people can participate in the festivities together without the burden of having to reveal one's class, religion, or financial capacity.

Poschim Bongo!

The West Bengal state is the only state in India to have its name in ENGLISH!  Moreover the name is totally insignificant as discussed in my earlier post “Only BENGAL, not West Bengal! “. Almost everyone was taken aback by the West Bengal Government’s decision to rename the state as “Paschimbanga (read: Poschimbongo) পশ্চিমবঙ্গ”. Why were the people displeased? Because, West Bengal has been always referred as “Paschim Banga (read: Poschim Bongo) পশ্চিমবঙ্গ” in Bangla, whereas it was known as “Paschim Bangal” in Hindi and several other languages and all of these meant “The western half of Bengal province”. So the question arises, what was the need to rename? When the meaning has remained the same?

The inhabitants of West Bengal expressed their desire to get rid of the “West or Poschim (পশ্চিম)” prefix but the politicians ignored it and unanimously decided to officially use the Bangla version of the state’s name i.e. Paschim Banga. This is absolutely a disagreeable name change; actually it’s not even a change!

Why don’t we support this change? Because,

• It’s a cosmetic change, the meaning of the state’s name still remains unchanged i.e. it doesn’t satisfy the trivial purpose behind the demand for renaming. Apparently it seems like they changed the name just for the heck of it!
• The renaming procedure will not be “free”, so when the government is ready to invest time and money in this name change procedure- it’s expected that this change is welcomed and accepted by the inhabitants of the state firstly! We don’t want the taxpayer’s money to be wasted if the renaming process if it is merely being translated!
• There were better options like “Bongo Pradesh (বঙ্গ প্রদেশ)” or “Bangla Prodesh (বাংলা প্রদেশ)” or “Bharatia Bongo (ভারতীও বঙ্গ)” or “Bongo Bhumi (বঙ্গ ভুমি)” and people were ready to adopt any of these names but all they wanted is to shun the defunct “West পশ্চিম” prefix. We want the name of our state to be in Bangla, but the translation of the existing “West Bengal” is unacceptable!
• Why is it taking so much time to provide our state a meaningful name ? There are several developmental issues that need immediate attention, so the Government should approve the public choice and start working for overall development of our state! 

The positioning of the state's name among the list of Indian States in the three cases : West Bengal (left), PaschimBanga (centre) and Bongo Prodesh (right).

Why did they do it? These could be the possible reasons: 

• In order to standardize the name in all languages i.e. be it in English or Hindi or any other language, everyone is bound to use only “Paschim Banga”.
• They wanted to keep the ghost of partition alive! They wanted that the state’s name should reflect that another half of Bengal lies across the border. But this issue could be resolved by naming the state “Bharatia Banga” or “Indian Bengal” this would have meant a change in reality..!
• They might be showing us the hope for the futuristic “Greater Bengal বৃহৎ বাংলা” that is to form an United Bengal with Bangladesh J and free from Indian dominium.
• Another concern was to bring the state position alphabetically higher in the list of Indian states for administrative reasons. Even then, by renaming as “Bongo Prodesh” or “Bangla Pradesh” or “Bharatia Banga” , the state would have featured in the 5^th position in the list of Indian states; but “Paschim Banga” merely raises the state’s position to 22 on the list from being at the last position i.e. 28.

If they rename it Paschimbanga it will be nothing less than a waste of public money, waste of time, waste of resources, and most important undermining the sentiments of the residents of the state! 

জয় বাংলা ! Joy Bangla !