Agartala (Tripura) [India], Apr.16 : Thousands of Bengali thronged to temples offering prayers on the occasion of Poila Boishakh, the first day of the Bangla calendar in Agartala, the capital of Tripura.
According to Bengali Sakabdi, the first day of the year is considered to be the most auspicious day. On the new year, homes are cleaned and decorated to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi and God Ganesha. People wearing new dresses go to temples to pray and get blessings from god. Monimala Sengupta, a visitor said, "I have come here to pray to Lord Narayana on the first day of the Bengali New Year so that our children, brothers, sisters and all can live healthily.
Every year we come to the temple on this day as a ritual." Shopkeepers start the day by performing Laxmi-Narayan and Ganesh pooja wishing for a prosperous year ahead.
Harisankar Saha, a businessman said, "We come to the temple seeking blessings and pray to god for good and prosperity as we start new account books of our business in the name of god.
This is our ritual." As a custom, priests draw a Swastik symbol with vermilion on trader's accounts book to bring good fortune in business.
Poila Boishakh is also known as 'Noboborsho' as it is the first day of the first month of Boishakh in the Bengali calendar.
Other than Tripura, Poila Boishakh is also celebrated in a festive manner in both Bangladesh and West Bengal.
Hence, Poila Boishakh connects all ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences in Tripura.
Source: ANI
