Communities welcome new year with prayers, food, get-togethers & celebrations in Kolkata

KOLKATA/KALIMPONG: The city wore a festive air on Friday, when Punjabis and Sikhs celebrated Baisakhi, the Assamese celebrated Rongali Bihu, the Tamils celebrated Puthandu, and Odiyas observed Pana Sankranti.
There’s more in store on Saturday with Bengalis and Malayalis set to celebrate Poila Baisakh and Vishu respectively.
City Punjabis began Baisakhi celebrations with prayers, after which they visited families and friends.The evening was meant for food and festivities. April 14 is also the day when the 10th guru, Govind Singh, formulated the tenets of the Khalsa in 1699, and is also known as Khalsa Sajana Diwas.
“There were kirtan and prayers in gurdwaras before langar. We also served fruits, meals, sweets and water to the underprivileged in Kolkata on Friday, and will continue it on Saturday,” said Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, general secretary of Behala Gurdwara.
Rongali Bihu, the start of the Assamese new year, is usually a homely affair with friends and relatives. Orihana Ojah Hatkhowa, vice-president of Kolkata Assamese Cultural Association, said: “The festival began with ‘Goru Bihu’ on Friday, where the cow is worshipped in rural areas in Assam. In the city, we prepare pitha and laroo. One speciality is having komal rice, curd and jaggery, which we call jalpan, on ‘Manuh Bihu’, that is on Saturday.”
The Odiya community welcomed the new calendar year on Maha Bishuva Sankranti or Pana Sankranti, so called due to the custard offered to Lord Jagannath and any goddess representing ‘Shakti’. “We make pana — a drink made with of seasonal fruits. We also eat vegetarian meals on this day,” said Hemanta Kumar Mohanty, deputy chief operations manager in SER headquarters.
The Tamil community started Puthandu celebrations with temple visits. Floor designs called ‘kolam’ are made using coloured rice flour to decorate the house entrances. “We cook a special rasam called vepam poo, as well as payasam and a host of other sweet dishes,” said Padma Ray Bardhan of South India Club.
The Malayalis will celebrate Vishu on Saturday by worshipping Vishnu in the morning. Prabha Menon, vice-president of Calcutta Nair Service Society, said families cook different traditional dishes, like avial, sambar, mango pulissery, and banana chips.
In Kalimpong, more than 3,500 people from various organisations gathered to celebrate Pahilo Baisakh — the Nepali new year — on Friday. The event was organised by Gorkha Gaurav Sansthan.