Poila Boishakh- How Pune’s Bengali community celebrates

You can take a Bangali out of Bengal, but not Bengal out of a Bangali ! Pune-based Simran Tiwari’s parents grew up in Kolkata, and despite not being born into a Bengali family, they completely adapted to the culture and traditions. By default, so did their family. For them, Nobo Borsho or the first day of the Bengali New Year is incomplete without the quintessential breakfast dish Radhaballavi (Bengali version of a dal-puri ), and getting their hands on the New Year calendar. “We are Bengalis just without a Bengali surname. And celebrating Poila Boishakh with the community in Pune gives us a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with our roots,” says Simran, a speech and drama teacher who has been calling Pune home for 26 years.

Adda, food, music and cultural events mark city’s Poila Boishakh festivitiesCulture and traditions remain a powerful anchor for the Bengali community in the city, where festivals are more than just a date on the calendar. They are a celebration of identity, nostalgia, and community, acting like a bridge to the essence of Bangaliana . In several pockets across the city, far from the lanes in West Bengal, the festival is being ushered in with the same warmth and fervour in a shared cultural space.

FOOD, FESTIVITIES, AND FAMILIAR TRADITIONS

​Intimate and community-driven, Poila Boishakh in Pune is all about getting together, feasting on scrumptious food, Bengali associations and cultural groups organising events with Rabindra Sangeet recitals, et al. Traditional attire — women in saris (not necessarily the stereotype red-and-white), and men in kurta-pajamas or dhuti-panjabi — rules the dress code. Business owners perform a ritual called haal khata , where old account books are cleared, and new ones are opened. Socialising is an integral part of the day, where an exchange of ‘Shubho Nobo Borsho’ greeting helps in recreating a sense of home.

Cultural events■ Friendship Club Pune, Backyard Farms, Ravet, April 15

■ Bongiya Sanskriti Sangho, Hande Lawns, April 17

■ Agradoot Bangosamaj, City Vista Lawns in Kharadi, April 18

​■ ASBS, Shakuntala Hall, April 18

​■ Keshav Nagar Bengali Association, Royal Moments Banquet, Amanora, April 19

■ Bangiya Sanskriti Samsad, Bhonsle Nagar, April 19

On the menu

​No Bengali celebration is complete without an array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, and Poila Boishakh is no exception. Elaborate lunch with dishes that can range from shukto (a mildly bitter medley of vegetables), begun bhaja (shallow fried brinjal), to cholar dal (mildly sweet Bengal split grams with coconut slivers) with luchi (thin, small deep-fried puffed bread), basanti pulao (a sweetish yellow rice preparation with cashews and raisins), to chingri malaikari (a coconut-based prawns curry), kosha mangsho (semidry spicy mutton), chutney (a sweettangy or sometimes spicy fruit dish), payesh (rice pudding) and mishti doi (sweet curd). While home-cooked meals are a staple, potluck-style gatherings are also common. In Pune, restaurants and supper clubs, too, offer the quintessential spread.

Grab some Bengali food at

​■ Bengali Sweets & Foods, Viman Nagar n Aha! Baangali, Viman Nagar, Kharadi, Wakad

■ Chef’s Table by Breaking Basmati, @ breakingbasmati on Instagram

■ Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre, Bund Garden Road

■ Swayam Aahar, Viman Nagar

What is Poila Boishakh? Poila Boishakh or Pohela Boishakh marks the first day of the Bengali calendar, which is the first day of the Boishakh month. It usually falls on April 14 or 15 of the Gregorian calendar, and signifies new beginnings and the new year – Nobo Borsho. Traditionally, it is considered an auspicious time for starting new ventures, settling accounts for businesses, and ushering prosperity for the year ahead. Rooted in the agrarian cycle, Poila Boishakh is a cultural celebration that blendsfood, rituals, festivity, and coming together as a community.