West Bengal
Poila Boishakh Celebrated Across West Bengal
- 21 Apr 2026
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, was celebrated across West Bengal with great enthusiasm, devotion and traditional cultural activities marking the beginning of the Bengali calendar year.
Key Points
- Bengali New Year: Poila Boishakh marks the first day of the Bengali calendar month ‘Boishakh’ and celebrates the beginning of the Bengali New Year.
- It is celebrated on April 15 and marks the beginning of the year 1433 in the Bengali calendar.
- The festival holds great cultural significance for Bengalis in West Bengal, Bangladesh and other parts of India with Bengali communities.
- Greetings: People greet each other with the phrase “Shubho Noboborsho”.
- Traditional Attire: People celebrated the occasion by wearing traditional Bengali clothing, including sarees for women and kurta–pyjama or dhoti–kurta for men.
- Prabhat Pheris: Social organisations, clubs and schools organised ‘Prabhat Pheri’ (morning processions) to mark the festival.
- Haal Khata Ceremony: Traders and shopkeepers performed the Haal Khata ritual, opening new account books for the new financial year.
