Poila Baishak or Bengal New Year is a significant festival celebrated in April across West Bengal. The festival marks the beginning of the Bengali calendar and is also called “ Subho Naboborsho” meaning “Happy New Year” in Bengali, it is a traditional greeting used during Poila Boishakh.

Initially observed as Harvest Festival during the Mughal era, later became popular during the Bengal Renaissance in the 19th and 20th mainly due to the work of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Later State officially declared it an important festival. For business owners, Poila Boishak marks the opening of the first transactions of the year and the beginning of the new accounting year by opening the new accounts book. They send out invites to their customers , Goddess Lakshmi and Ganesh Ji are worshipped – the whole process is called as “Halkata” Ceremony.

Celebrations include – performing pooja, wearing new clothes, decorating the houses, buying new clothes and gifts for their near and dear ones on this day. They also prepare Poila Baisakh-special delicacies at home and get together with their loved ones to relish the dishes together which include both Veg and Non-Veg Items such as – Luchi, Payesh, Sandesh, Macher Jjol (fish curry), a variety of Chicken and mutton items along with Misti Doi

This year, Poila Baisakh will be celebrated on 15th April 2025 in West Bengal while coinciding with other regional festivals in India like Baisakhi in Punjab, Vishu in Kerala, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Bihu in Assam. It is believed among the people that how we spend this day will determine the rest of the year; hence, people try to make this day as beautiful as possible. Poila Boisakh ushers in a time of new beginnings, hopes, and joys for a prosperous new year ahead!