Pahela Boishakh, the Bangla New Year's Day
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Iftu Ahmed
The ancient people used to celebrate the New Year at harvest time. The rituals they observed purified them for the New Year. At least that is what they left behind.
In 46 BC, the Roman ruler Julius Caesar (100 BC-44 BC) established the New Year's Day on January 1st. The Romans were dedicated to Janus, the God of gates, doors, and beginnings. The month of January, named after Janus, had two faces. One is looking forward and the other is looking backward.
In 56 AD, the Christian church outlawed the practices of New Year which was introduced by Julius Caesar.
During the Medieval Period, many European nations used to celebrate March 25 as an Annunciation Day, which is known as Christian Holiday. By 1600, many Western nations had adopted a revised calendar named the Gregorian calendar which is used today. As a result, January 1st was restored as the New Year's Day.
Almost all the world today uses the Gregorian calendar. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII (1502-1585) established it to correct the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was established on the basis of the solar year.
Like most ancient people, Bangladesh celebrates the Nobo Barsha (New Year) at harvest time. There is an ultimate relation between Bangla Nobo Barsha and agriculture. Cultivation and harvest are related to the seasons.
In 1556, the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542-1605) ascended the throne of Delhi, India. Before Akbar, the Mughal emperors used the Islamic Hijri (Hegira) calendar for forming and collection of revenue.
The words 'Shon' and 'Tarikh,' derived form Arabic, mean year (calendar) and day respectively. The word Sal is Persian which also denotes year (calendar). So during the medieval period, both Arabic and Persian cultures influenced the Bangla calendar.
The Hijri calendar follows the lunar year. The farmers could not figure out the fiscal year to pay taxes because the lunar year consists of 354 days whereas the solar year has 365 days. By adjusting 11 days, in 1584, Akbar introduced the Bangla calendar to facilitate revenue collection and farming. The new calendar was given effect from his accession to the throne in 1556.
Amir Fatehullah Shirazi, a renowned scholar and the royal astronomer of Akbar formulated the Bangla calendar, adapting it to the solar year to suit the farmers. They could them raise crops and pay taxes without the difficulty caused by the variation of 11 days in the previous calendar.
The Bangla calendar was called 'Fosholi Shon' or Harvest Calendar and later it was known as Bonggabda (Bangla Era) as well as Bangla Shon.
Choitro is the last month of the Bangla calendar. It was customary for farmers to clear up all the dues on the last day of Choitro.
Boishakh is the first month of Bangla calendar. The name of Boishakh was derived from the position of the sun near the star Bishaka. The first day of Boishakh is known as the Pohela Boishakh, the Bangla New Year's Day, the celebration of which began from the reign of Akbar.
People celebrate Pahela Boishakh with due festivity and carnivals throughout the country. The traders and businessmen in the villages, towns and cities close their old Halkhata (the book of accounts) and open a new Halkhata (the new book of accounts) to renew business relationships with their customers sharing sweets and gifts.
Boishakh marks the beginning of summer, the season of fruits, when mangoes, lichies and jackfruit are available. Kalboishakhis, the afternoon storms remain as dangerous and notorious in Boishakh now, as it was in those days.
In 1965, Chhayanat, the cultural organisation, started celebrating Pohela Boishakhs at Ramna Park in Dhaka with Tagore songs. Now Pohela Boishakh is a festival of Bangladesh.
The writer lives in Aurora, IL, USA, and can be reached at e-mail:
iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net
The ancient people used to celebrate the New Year at harvest time. The rituals they observed purified them for the New Year. At least that is what they left behind.
In 46 BC, the Roman ruler Julius Caesar (100 BC-44 BC) established the New Year's Day on January 1st. The Romans were dedicated to Janus, the God of gates, doors, and beginnings. The month of January, named after Janus, had two faces. One is looking forward and the other is looking backward.
In 56 AD, the Christian church outlawed the practices of New Year which was introduced by Julius Caesar.
During the Medieval Period, many European nations used to celebrate March 25 as an Annunciation Day, which is known as Christian Holiday. By 1600, many Western nations had adopted a revised calendar named the Gregorian calendar which is used today. As a result, January 1st was restored as the New Year's Day.
Almost all the world today uses the Gregorian calendar. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII (1502-1585) established it to correct the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was established on the basis of the solar year.
Like most ancient people, Bangladesh celebrates the Nobo Barsha (New Year) at harvest time. There is an ultimate relation between Bangla Nobo Barsha and agriculture. Cultivation and harvest are related to the seasons.
In 1556, the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542-1605) ascended the throne of Delhi, India. Before Akbar, the Mughal emperors used the Islamic Hijri (Hegira) calendar for forming and collection of revenue.
The words 'Shon' and 'Tarikh,' derived form Arabic, mean year (calendar) and day respectively. The word Sal is Persian which also denotes year (calendar). So during the medieval period, both Arabic and Persian cultures influenced the Bangla calendar.
The Hijri calendar follows the lunar year. The farmers could not figure out the fiscal year to pay taxes because the lunar year consists of 354 days whereas the solar year has 365 days. By adjusting 11 days, in 1584, Akbar introduced the Bangla calendar to facilitate revenue collection and farming. The new calendar was given effect from his accession to the throne in 1556.
Amir Fatehullah Shirazi, a renowned scholar and the royal astronomer of Akbar formulated the Bangla calendar, adapting it to the solar year to suit the farmers. They could them raise crops and pay taxes without the difficulty caused by the variation of 11 days in the previous calendar.
The Bangla calendar was called 'Fosholi Shon' or Harvest Calendar and later it was known as Bonggabda (Bangla Era) as well as Bangla Shon.
Choitro is the last month of the Bangla calendar. It was customary for farmers to clear up all the dues on the last day of Choitro.
Boishakh is the first month of Bangla calendar. The name of Boishakh was derived from the position of the sun near the star Bishaka. The first day of Boishakh is known as the Pohela Boishakh, the Bangla New Year's Day, the celebration of which began from the reign of Akbar.
People celebrate Pahela Boishakh with due festivity and carnivals throughout the country. The traders and businessmen in the villages, towns and cities close their old Halkhata (the book of accounts) and open a new Halkhata (the new book of accounts) to renew business relationships with their customers sharing sweets and gifts.
Boishakh marks the beginning of summer, the season of fruits, when mangoes, lichies and jackfruit are available. Kalboishakhis, the afternoon storms remain as dangerous and notorious in Boishakh now, as it was in those days.
In 1965, Chhayanat, the cultural organisation, started celebrating Pohela Boishakhs at Ramna Park in Dhaka with Tagore songs. Now Pohela Boishakh is a festival of Bangladesh.
The writer lives in Aurora, IL, USA, and can be reached at e-mail:
iftuahmed@sbcglobal.net