Pohela Baisakh, the two-event on April 14th and 15th, marked Bengali New Year celebrations in New York City.
Our Bureau
New York
On April 14th, the first event was celebrated for the first time at the Times Square. The April 15th event was celebrated at the Diversity Square in Jackson Heights. More than 150 artists performed the traditional ‘shatkantha’ at Times Square early in the morning for the ‘Mangal Shobhajatra’, with their voices in perfect harmony as a chorus, with Mahitosh Talukder Tapas conducting the entire group.
“This community is made of those who believe in the power of faith,” said NYC Mayor Eric Adams throwing open the Bengali New Year celebrations in Jackson Heights on April 15, 2023. He said his administration and the government were continuously looking at ways to assure that businesses are supported, that the city is safe, and that an environment is created to raise healthy children and families.
“And we must do that together. We cannot do that if we are divided. And your faith says that we are supposed to have that on the forefront,” said Adams. “Let us make sure that we are not only devoted worshippers, but we are practitioners,” Adams said. “It means that we must be there for our seniors and older adults during their time of need,” he said. Adams encouraged people to go out and meet people in the streets after worshipping. That would bring an understanding of people’s problems and needs and bring ideas of how to help people with mental and physical health issues, he said.
It was quite a sight to see ladies in white sarees with red borders that the women wore, while men were in the traditional long ‘kurta’ and pants. The participants who were specially flown in to perform included dancer Laila Hasan and Rabindra Sangeet singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bonya from Bangladesh, and singer Rathindranath Roy. Also at the Times Square event, the new Bengali year 1430 was welcomed by the invited guests and the organizers, chief among whom were Laila Hasan, Mahitosh Tapas, and Biswajit Saha. Hasan, who is also the convener of 1430 Bangla Varshavaran in New York, said Pohela Boishakh was the biggest festival in the lives of Bengalis regardless of their religion and caste. Inaugurating the colorful Mars procession, Chowdhury Banya said the Bengali immigrants had created history by participating in the event in spite of their busy and tough lives. Chowdhury Banya said he wished to see such celebrations in other countries in the world.
