Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year)

Poila Baisakh heralds the Bengali New Year on April 14 or 15, coinciding with the start of Boishakh, the first month of the lunisolar Bengali calendar. Communities in West Bengal, Bangladesh, Tripura, and Assam observe it with cultural processions featuring Chhau dances, folk music, and colorful attire like white-red sarees and kurtas. Businesses perform Hal Khata rituals by closing old ledgers and opening new ones with prayers to Ganesha and Lakshmi for success, while families enjoy feasts of panta bhat, ilish maach, and sweets amid fairs and temple visits