Boishakh has acquired a new dimension due to the fusion of Bengali resilience and heritage

The main component of the Bengali nation's grand celebration is Pohela Boishakh, the first day of the Bengali calendar. It's a day for embracing purity amidst the flow of tradition. With the dawn of the new sun on this day, Bengalis embark on a festive journey. From agricultural calculations to traditional faisrs, village gatherings, urban street performances, and colorful processions, everything blends together to make it a vibrant day in the life of the Bengali nation. It's a day when Bengalis pledge to move forward, leaving behind the past, guided by the message of new beginnings.

Despite some ambiguity and debate, Emperor Akbar is often referred to as the pioneer of the Bengali calendar. In the early days of Akbar's reign, the Mughal Empire collected taxes according to the Hijri calendar. However, complications arose in crop harvesting and tax collection due to the discrepancies in this calendar. In response, one of his Navratnas (nine gems), the astronomer Fatheullah Shirazi, was instructed to create a new calendar. Through tireless efforts, Shirazi developed a solar-based calendar for Bengal in 1585. Emperor Akbar adopted this calendar and issued a decree from his throne, making it effective from the year 1556, which became the official start of the Bengali calendar, corresponding to the year 1556 AD in the Gregorian calendar.

Historians have also noted that during Emperor Akbar's reign, when political stability prevailed over vast India, he initiated various reforms. It was during this time that he began various cultural endeavors. As part of these efforts, Akbar took the initiative to introduce the concept of "san" or "sal" (year) in the Indian context. He was the one who initiated the first land survey in the Indian subcontinent. However, as this work progressed, challenges arose in tax collection, leading to the consideration of a new calendar system. During that time, tax collection was based on the lunar calendar (Hijri calendar), where each year was approximately 10-11 days shorter than the solar year. Consequently, the lunar calendar lagged behind by one month every three years and one additional year in every 32-35 years. Due to these discrepancies, scholars worldwide, including those in Delhi's administration, expressed their opinions against the Hijri calendar. They were also in favor of change, which Emperor Akbar initiated. Fatheullah Shirazi likely introduced the Bengali calendar, maintaining the framework of the Hijri calendar. However, the main change occurred when the calculation of the year shifted from the lunar-based system to the solar-based system. This change was primarily associated with tax collection and agricultural practices, leading to the term "Fosoli Son" (agricultural calendar) being used for this calendar. Since various regions in the Indian subcontinent had long been accustomed to solar-based month calculations, Bengalis readily accepted this new method. Over time, this calendar became deeply integrated into Bengali culture, gradually transforming into what it is today.

However, the festival surrounding Pohela Boishakh did not come in a day. It is associated with the discovery of Halkhata (new account books) and Punya Arhur (closing old accounts). But this Halkhata or Punya Arhur was not a source of joy for farmers everywhere. Because on this day, they had to pay off their debts to landlords or mahajans (moneylenders). However, even amidst these two formalities, there were elements of joy. Various festivities were organized, including the consumption of sweets and delicacies, adding to the celebratory atmosphere of these two occasions. Apart from that, the tradition of fairs existed since ancient times surrounding the New Year. The formalities of these fairs concerning the New Year varied. During the Mughal era, various types of festivals were organized alongside Nowruz (the Persian New Year celebration). However, these festivals were mainly for the upper classes of society. The practice of mina bazaar revolved around these festivals. Although there were extravaganzas in royal palaces, entry was not open to people from all social classes. For the common folk and farmers, festivities included fairs, halkhata, punya, and other celebrations.

The emergence of national consciousness surrounding Pohela Boishakh intensified in 1947 after the partition of the country. With the creation of Pakistan, efforts were made by the Punjabi administration in various ways to assimilate Bengalis. This included the promotion of Urdu. Attempts were made to expand cultural dominance. During this time, Bengalis felt the pressure of their oppression even more deeply. The spontaneous organization of Pohela Boishakh celebrations began on a familial and societal level. The first official celebration of Pohela Boishakh in East Bengal took place in 1954. Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque had announced a government holiday on Pohela Boishakh. However, due to the imposition of martial law and the aggressive policies of the Pakistani administration, Pohela Boishakh was not officially celebrated thereafter.

The emergence of nationalist sentiment around Pohela Boishakh took place in the 1960s. In 1961, during Rabindranath Tagore's birth centenary celebrations, the Pakistani government directly intervened. Additionally, Punjabis attempted to categorize Rabindranath Tagore's songs as part of a distinct cultural heritage under the label of "Hindu." In response to these attempts, cultural organizations like Chhayanaut began organizing musical events on a small scale during Pohela Boishakh. The first such event took place at Baladha Garden, later moving to Ramna Batamul. Behind this, Wahidul Haque, Sanjida Khatun, Kamal Lohani, Farida Hasan, and everyone else played a fundamental role. Like a guiding shadow over all of them was the revered poet Begum Sufia Kamal.

The first celebration of Boishakhi in Ramna's banyan tree took place in 1967. At that time, the falling of the catterpiller from the Ashwattha tree (commonly known as banyan tree) was a common occurrence. Many people hesitated to move around in the dense jungle where this event took place. However, in that celebration, there was a liberating opportunity to take a deep breath freely. Without fear of the military rulers' surveillance, there was an unbridled joy in singing Rabindrasangeet. The event used to start at 6 o'clock in the morning, a tradition that is still maintained by Chhayanaut. On that day, Chhayanaut's inception heralded a new dawn in the life of the Bengali nation. Sarathi Sanjida Khatun, the current leader of Chhayanaut, expressed in an essay, "The enchanting morning of the new year had liberated us, propelling us forward on the path to Bengali national independence."

After independence, the celebration of Pohela Boishakh began in Bangladesh as a new initiative. Since then, Pohela Boishakh has been a public holiday, a day of celebration and joy for Bengalis. However, this journey was not without its challenges. Military rulers and various communal forces repeatedly attempted to obstruct the celebration of Pohela Boishakh and impose restrictions, but they were not successful. People's emotions and love were defeated by negative forces. Protection was gained for cultural rights and freedom. However, Pohela Boishakh has often served as a tool for people to demand their rights. In the turbulent decade of the 1980s, in protest against the misrule of Ershad's autocracy, the Mangal Shobhajatra emerged from Chhayanaut. It has now become one of the integral parts of the formalities of Pohela Boishakh.

Throughout the ages, obstacles have come upon the celebration of Pohela Boishakh. In 1999, there was a terrifying incident similar to the bomb attack, but even then, this festival did not stop. In no way has this celebration been halted. Rather, Pohela Boishakh has reached new heights in the fabric of Bengali culture and tradition and transformed into a grand national festival in the country.

Author: Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Jagannath University.