History Of Pohela Boishakh

History Of Pohela Boishakh

celebrate Pohela Boishakh

The Bengali Calendar is closely tied with the Hindu Solar Calendar, based on the Surya Siddhanta. As with many other variants of the Hindu Solar Calendar, the Bengali Calendar commences in mid-April of the Gregorian Year. Under the Mughals,agricultural taxes were collected according to the Hijri  Calendar. However, as the hijri calendar is a purely Lunar calendar, it does not coincide with the harvest .  As a result, farmers were hard-pressed to pay taxes out of session. In order to streamline tax collection, the Mughal Emperor Akbar ordered a reform of the calendar.
     Accordingly, Fatehullah Shirazi, a renowned scholar and
astronomer, formulated the Bengali Year on the basis of Hijri Lunar  and Hindu Solar Calendars. The new 'Fasli San' ( agricultural year) was introduced on 10 March 1585,but was dated from Akbar's ascension to the throne in 1556. The new year subsequently became known as Bongabdo or Bangla Year. Celebrations of Pohela Boishakh commenced from Akbar's reign. It was customary to clean up all dues on the last day of Chaitra. On the next day or the first day of the New Year. landlords would entertain their tenants with sweets. On this occasion there used to be fairs and other festivities. In due course the occasion, became part f domestic and social life and turned into a day of merriment. The main event of the day was to open a " Halkhata"or a new book of accounts.