Bengali New Year Celebration

The Bengali New Year (Bengali era 1415) will be celebrated in Melbourne this year by the Bengali community in Victoria.

The Bengali calendar is a traditional solar calendar used in Bangladesh and West Bengal in India.  It is according to the Bhaskar (sun) Era, pioneered by Emperor Akbar in 1584 AD. The year begins on Pohela Boishakh (first day of the first Bengali month—Boishakh) which falls on 14 April. Pohela Boishakh, the first day of Bangla calendar year is indeed a momentous occasion in the life of each and every Bangalee. As a traditional secular event, Bengalis celebrate this event with cultural program and Mela – open market, and exchanging greetings. Bengali New Year shares the same roots with few other calendars followed by Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and Cambodia, given their common Sanskrit heritage and lunar calendar.

The event will be organised by the Bangladeshi students of various universities in Victoria and SHUROLOK Music Appreciation and Performance Group Inc. of Victoria, a premiere music appreciation and performance organisation.

The event will feature cultural performance by various community groups. These include members from the Bangladesh indigenous community, student groups, children organisations, drama clubs and music performance groups, as well as members of some Asian community groups.  There will be typical Bangalee food stall and few other stalls with Bangladeshi clothing, art and other traditional items. This event, to be held for the first time at the Federation Square, will be a day long one beginning at 11 am.

Sponsors of this event include Monash University, Deakin University, Victorian Multicultural Commission, Dhaka Stock Exchange Ltd., the University of Melbourne and the Federation Square. Channel I, a prominent TV channel of Bangladesh will also join the event as the Media partner.