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'Shubho Nabo Barsho': PM Modi extends greetings on Bengali New Year
On the occasion of Poyla Boishakh, Prime Minister Modi took to his official Twitter handle to share a graphic wishing the people of West Bengal a 'Shubho Nabo Barsho' (Happy New Year), to mark the first day on the Bengali calendar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took to his official handle on Twitter to extend greetings on the Bengali New Year and wished his followers "Subho Nabo Barsho" (Happy New Year) on the occasion of Poyla Boishakh, the first day of the Bengali calendar. He also shared a set of two graphics -- in Bengali and in English -- as well as a campaign video of the BJP for the ongoing West Bengal assembly polls, saying, "A New Year and a resolve for new beginnings and progress for the great land of West Bengal!"
The day, also known as Pehala Baishakh or Poila Baishak, is celebrated either on 14th or 15th April (depending on the lunisolar Bengali calendar) every year with traditional processions in West Bengal Tripura, and Assam, as well as in Bangladesh by people of Bengali-origin heritage.
Also Read: Shubho Nabo Barsho 2021: Date and history of Pohela Boishakh or Bengali New Year
The Bengali New Year's graphic, signed by the Prime Minister, reads, "The love of life and the fervour of celebration that one sees in the people of Bengal are truly heartening. My heartfelt wishes to Bengalis in India and across the world on Poyla Boishakh."
The auspicious day is marked by various cultural and art performances. People visit their relatives and greet each other saying "Shubho Noboborsho" as a mark of respect for the shared Bengali heritage, both in India as well as in Bangladesh. To celebrate the new year, Bengalis clean their house and decorate their front door with alpana, which is a painting done with a mixture of rice and flour. A notable event in Bangladesh on this day is the 'Mangal Shobhajatra', organised by the students and teachers of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University, which takes place at dawn. The festivity was declared as a cultural heritage of humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2016.
