- Bengal delta is well known for a slew of festivals,engrossing all over the year,and grandest of all is the Bengali new year celebration, the one that just has recently been concluded. The old saying that goes round here ,Bengal having 12 colorful months of 13 grandiose festivals is fairly expedient. But what makes this new year celebration most popular amongst all, is its exotic charm being the only one to be secular ,and its unabashed appeal that virtually cut across all creed ,cast ,religion,of which any Bengali can be part of proudly, as well as fondly .In a year, usually either the 14th or the 15th of April, it is held pompously all across the Bengali diaspora .The paila baishak as it is so commonly and fondly called after,arrives amongst its ardent fans with an ado when the Spring just concludes it’s stride and the infamous hot summer begins its foray to the land. Whatever that perched weather might be,it never dampens the jovial mood of the masses,nor it is meant for that actually, for Bengali are so famous for their abilities to sneak out of joy from anything,virtually from everything. As usual, there is no written and congruous history for its genesis .But then when did History matter to Bengali??Never actually !! If we are to believe in common heresy, all was commenced by none other than Mogul emperor Akbar, when he was so concerned with extolling taxes from the poor peasants!!Until then, mogul would follow diligently an Islamic lunar calendar that was said to be so incongruous and torturous that, farmers had hard time paying taxes. Nevertheless, the king of Gauda ,Shawshank was said to be the man responsible for introducing it for the beginning date of its inception falls squarely under the prolific duration of his reign .Emperor Akbar merely resurrected it making it a mesh of solar as well as of lunar calendar,thus generating a very distinctive format. It is pertinent to mention here that, the solar calendar was a creation of King Shawshank.The Following British raj never proscribed it nor encouraged it , found it rather congenial to their ordeals with locals.During the Pakistan era, when Bangladesh was a province of it, the secular nature of it ,constantly a cause for the irritation for the rulers stationed in tribal West Pakistan .Even then the baishaki celebration was the beacon for Bengali conscience , and played all important role of a lighthouse.Even after the independence, when the part that seceded of Pakistan, was going through a huge amount of turmoil, this occasion would provide necessary impetus,important shelter so that country would not loose the hope and direction. Having grown over the years, this wonderful secular occasion, has become a pivot where every religion, cast ,creed just melt,has turned it to be the biggest of all,Bengalis have, sumptuous , grandiose , exuberant . Viva pour la pahela baishak.
