‘Pahela Boishakh’ is the first day of Bangla new year
‘Pahela
Boishakh’
‘Pahela
Boishakh’ is the first day of Bangla new year. The day is a public holiday.
This day has a special significance for us as it forms a part of Bangalee
culture and tradition. People from all walks of life, irrespective of their
ethnic identity or religious beliefs, celebrate the day with traditional
festivities. On this day, the whole of Bangladesh is in a festive mood. The day
inspires people to start life with renewed hopes and inspirations.
Every
year the day is celebrated traditionally. People wake up early in the morning,
have a bath and wear their traditional clothes. Women wear white saris with red borders and adorn
themselves with colourful churis and
flowers while men dress themselves with pajamas
and punjabis. It is a day when people
love eating traditional food.
On
this day the most colourful event is held in Dhaka. Early in the morning,
people in hundreds and thousands pour in from all directions to attend the
cultural function at Ramna Batamul
organised by Chhayanat. They come in
processions with banners, festoons and playcards. The young people in the
processions wear caps and masks. The cultural programme begins just intime and
the renowned artists of the country take part in the program starting with
famous Tagore song Esho-he-Boishakh, Esho Esho ......... . Artists also sing
traditional folk songs, and display classical dances with the rhythm of musical
instruments.
People
also come to join the colourful processions, the biggest carnival of the
country, organised by the Fine Arts students of Dhaka University. The
procession usually displays the traditional practices of Bangalee culture. The masks and wreaths worn by the people are so
fascinating! Often they symbolise contemporary worries or happiness in the
national life. It attracts increasing number of foreign tourists every year.
The
day is also observed all over the country. Different social and cultural
organizations and educational institutions celebrate the day with their own
cultural programmes.
On
this day, newspapers bring out special supplements. There are also special
programmes on the radio and television channels.
The celebration of Pahela Boishakh marks a day of
cultural unity for the whole nation irrespective of caste and creed.
Significance (wmM&wbwdKvb&m&)n- A_©, Myi“Z¡, Zvrch©; Syn- importance; Form (†dvg&)vt- MVb Kiv; Syn- structure, constitute; Ant- shatter, unmake, deform; Culture (Kvj&Pv(i&))n- ms¯‹…wZ; Syn- civilisation; Ant- barbarity; Tradition (UªvwWk&b&)n- HwZn¨; Syn- opinion, belief; Irrespective (Bwim&‡cK&wUf&)adj- wbwe©‡k‡l, wbi‡c¶fv‡e; Syn- neutral, impartial; Ant- partial; Ethnic (G_&wbK&)adj- RvwZMZ; Syn- national; Celebrate (†mwj‡eªBU&)vt- D`hvcb Ki; Syn- observe, mark; Festivity (dvm&wUfvwU)n- Avb›`Nb cwi‡ek; Syn- rejoice, banquet; Inspire (BbmcvBAv(i&))vt- AbycÖvwYZ Kiv; Syn- encourage; Ant- discourage; Bath (ev:_&)n- †Mvmj, øvb; Syn- ablution; Adorn (Av‡Wvb&)vt- mvRv‡bv; Syn- beautify, embellish; Ant- spoil, mar; Direction (wW‡iK&k&b&)n- w`K; Syn- way, order, aim; Procession (cÖv‡mk&b&)n- †kvfvhvÎv; Syn- cavalcade, cortege; Renowned (wibvDb&W&)adj- ¯^bvgab¨, bvgKiv; Syn- known; Ant- notorious; Classical (K¬¨vwmK&j&)adj- wPivqZ; Syn- traditional, aged, ancient,
standard, refined; Ant- modern; Rhythm (wi`vg&)n- Zvj; Syn- harmony;
1. Choose the best answer from the alternative.
(a) The day of 'Pahela
Boishakh' is a —.
(i) non holiday (ii) govt. holiday (iii) private holiday (iv) working day
(b) Which of the following is
true?
(i) Pahela Boishakh is a working day (ii) People of a certain religion
celebrate the day
(iii) It is a day of the whole Bangalees (iv) People celebrate the day normally
(c) On this day Dhaka looks the
most — in the country.
(i) colourful (ii) pale (iii) faded (iv) beautiful
(d) How is the day celebrated?
(i) with traditional food (ii) singing traditional songs
(iii) with traditional activities (iv) visiting relatives
(e) On this day people —.
(i) meet each other
(ii)
forget enmity
(iii) gather in one place
(iv) forget the past and start a new life with hope and
inspiration
(f) 'Adorn' means —.
(i) organize (ii) beautify (iii) arrange (iv) spoil
(g) The word 'direction' means —.
(i) procession (ii) aim (iii) way (iv)
organization
Extra
Questions :
(h) Pahela Boishakh is observed by the —.
(i) doctors (ii) students (iii) teachers (iv) Bangalees
(i) Pahela Boishakh starts with the songs of —.
(i) Rabindranath (ii) Nazrul (iii) Lalon (iv)
Hason
(j) Pahela Boishakh is observed —.
(i) traditionally (ii) internationally (iii) democratically (iv) ironically
(k) People join colourful processions by the — students.
(i) Arts (ii) Fine Arts (iii) Science (iv) B. Studies
(l) The first day of — new year is known as Pahela Boishakh.
(i) Bangla (ii) English (iii) Hindi (iv) Urdu
(m) Pahela Boishakh is celebrated with —.
(i) religious festivities (ii) political festivities (iii)
traditional festivities (iv) debating
(n) National dailies — special supplement.
(i) articulate (ii) publish (iii) discuss (iv) discourse
(o) A colourful procession is brought out by —.
(i) Chhayanata (ii)
Bangla Academy
(iii) Shilpakala Academy (iv)
the Fine Arts students of D.U
(p) The synonymous word of 'celebrate' is —.
(i) observe (ii) attend (iii) present (iv) participate
(q) Pahela Boishakh is observed —.
(i) in rural areas (ii)
in urban areas
(iii) throughout the country (iv) in particular places of the country
(r) The word 'inspire' means —.
(i) motivate (ii) dishearten (iii) discourage (iv) hope
(s) On this day, people get up
—.
(i) early in the morning (ii) at midnight (iii) at noon (iv)
in the morning
2. Answer the following
questions :
(a) Why has Pahela Boishakh a
special significance for us? Explain in 2/3 sentences.
(b) What dresses are worn in
Pahela Boishakh? What is the significance of these dresses?
(c) What scenario of Dhaka do you
get from the text?
(d) What do the masks and wreaths
symbolise?
(e) The celebration of Pahela
Boishakh marks a day of cultural unity for the whole nation irrespective of
caste and creed. Explain it 2/3 sentences.
Extra Question
:
(f) Whose song
is sung at first in Pahela Boishakh? What kind of food people eat on this day?
(g) What does
the day inspire people?
(h) What does
the procession display?
(i) Write about the cultural programme
at Ramna Batamul on Pahela Boishakh?
(j) Write about the procession
by the students of Fine Arts of Dhaka University?
(k) How do social and cultural
organisations celebrate the day?
Mohammad Shahjahan
Teacher(English)
Kurmitola High School and College
English Language Trainer (Pavers Point, ETAB)
Executive Member , ETAB
Contact : 01683288352
