Pohela Boishakh to Vishu: Parts of India ring in traditional New Year | Festivities in pics

From Bihu in Assam to Pohela Boishakh in Bengal, and Vishu in Kerala, several parts of India are ringing in the traditional New Year with regional festivals. ...read more

Share Via

Copy Link

1 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Bengali New Year ‘Naba Barsha’ was marked on April 15. Naba Barsha, also known as Pohela Boishakh, is the first day of the Bengali calendar. "Pohela" means "first," and the first month of the Bengali year is called "Boishakh." With its prayers, cultural activities, and joyous gatherings, this colourful celebration ushers in a new era. In pic: People paint on a road on the eve of the Bengali New Year, in Siliguri, West Bengal. (PTI)

2 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

This year's auspicious Bengali New Year celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, according to Drik Panchang. On Monday, April 14, at 3:30 am, the Sankranti moment will occur. In pic: Members of Bengali Kalyan Samiti take part in Prabhat feri ahead of Bengali New Year. (PTI)

3 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

It's more than just a new year for Bengalis in West Bengal, Bangladesh, Tripura, and the Barak Valley of Assam. It is a celebration of culture, customs, and community. In pic: Bengali Kalyan Samiti members participate in 'Prabhat Feri' ahead of 'Poila Baishakh' (Bengali New Year), in Dhanbad. (ANI)

4 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Folk music, traditional cuisine, vibrant processions, and heartfelt "Shubho Noboborsho" (Happy New Year) greetings all grace the day for Bengalis worldwide. In pic: Security personnel stand guard as people march down a street during celebrations marking Bengali New Year. (AFP)

5 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Pohela Boishakh brings people together in joy and hope via everything from religious rites and family reunions to cultural festivals and regional fairs. In pic: People celebrate during a procession marking Bengali New Year in Dhaka, Bangladesh(AFP)

6 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Bohag Bihu is celebrated on April 14 of each year, since it heralds the start of the Assamese New Year and the entrance of spring, Bihu is one of the most significant celebrations in Assam and the northeast. In pic: Assamese girls wearing traditional Mekhela Chadar perform the Bihu folk dance during the Rongali Bihu festival, organised by All Assam Students Union in Guwahati, capital of the north eastern state of Assam, India, (AP)

7 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

On Bohag Bihu, the Assamese New Year officially begins. It is a festival honouring farmers with a strong agricultural foundation. Mesha Sankranti marks the start of the week-long festivities. In pic: Assamese girls wearing traditional dresses perform the classical Satriya dance during the Rongali Bihu festival, organised by All Assam Students Union in Guwahati, capital of the north eastern state of Assam, India, (AP)

8 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Throughout the week, there are lively cultural events to honour Bohag Bihu. To the rhythmic beats of drums, flutes, pepa (a traditional hornpipe), and taal (cymbals), men and women dress traditionally and execute the Bihu dance.(AP)

9 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Women perform Bihu dance during Rongali Bihu celebrations, in Tezpur, Assam, Monday, April 14, 2025. (PTI)

10 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

People from the Rabha tribe perform a traditional dance during Rongali Bihu celebrations, in Guwahati, Monday, April 14, 2025. (PTI)

11 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Sikh New Year, also called Baisakhi or Vaisakhi, is a major agricultural celebration that is mostly observed in Punjab, India, and among Sikh communities. In pic: Singer Gurpal Chohan along with others perform during the Baisakhi celebrations organised by Rose Park Club (Lodhi Garden morning walkers club), at Jhankar Banquets & Lawns in New Delhi. (ANI )

12 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

 As the founding day of the Khalsa Panth, it is not just an agricultural celebration but also a religious holiday observed by the Sikh community. In pic: Artists perform during the Baisakhi celebrations organised by Rose Park Club (Lodhi Garden morning walkers club), at Jhankar Banquets & Lawns in New Delhi recently. (ANI)

13 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Women in a group knead dough and prepare chapatis on the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas and Baisakhi, near Shahid Minar in Kolkata on Sunday. (HT photo)

14 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Devotees take holy dip in sarovar at Takht Shri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, on the occasion of Baisakhi festival, Punjab. (PTI)

15 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Singer Gurpal Chohan performs during the Baisakhi celebrations organised by Rose Park Club (Lodhi Garden morning walkers club), at Jhankar Banquets & Lawns in New Delhi.(ANI )

16 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Sikh pilgrims arrive to attend a ceremony to mark Baisakhi at Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib, 75km from Lahore, in Pakistan on Monday. (HT photo )

17 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

One of the most significant holidays for Malayalis worldwide is Vishu. This Hindu spring celebration, known as the Malayalam New Year, is a time for spiritual rejuvenation, prosperity, and fresh starts. In pic: Malayali community peopel gather to offer their prayers at Asthika Samaj in Mumbai on the occassion of Vishu. (ANI)

18 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Kolla Varsham, the start of the Malayalam calendar year, occurs on Vishu. Mesha Sankranti often occurs in mid-April, when the Sun enters the sign of Mesha Rashi (Aries). In pic: Members of the Malayalam community gathered at an Asthika temple in the Matunga area of Mumbai on April 14, 2025, to celebrate Vishu. (Hindustan Times)

19 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

People from Malayali community offer prayers on the occasion of Vishukkani (Malayalam New Year), at Matunga's Asthika Samaj Kochu Guruvayoor Sree Ram Temple in Mumbai. (ANI)

20 / 20

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Apr 15, 2025 01:09 PM IST

 Members of the Malayalam community gathered at an Asthika temple in the Matunga area of Mumbai on April 14, 2025, to celebrate Vishu, the New Year according to the Malayalam calendar, which is primarily observed in the southern Indian state of Kerala.(Hindustan Times)