WA celebrates the Bengali New Year with a multicultural extravaganza

Earlier this month, Probashi Bengali of WA celebrated Bangla Naboborsho – the Bengali New Year, which symbolizes the first day of the Bengali calendar – with a multicultural extravaganza at Canning Town Hall, Cannington. Numerous people from the community came together to celebrate this euphoric night. Bangla Naboborsho coincides with the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi.
Traditionally, this day is celebrated with puja, rangoli, scrumptious cuisine, sweets, alpana, and performances based on the songs of Rabindranath Tagore. Fairs and processions are also held to mark the occasion.
This year, as guests arrived, the show began with Tani Dey’s recitation of a beautiful Bengali poem by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s poetry, which reshaped Bengali music and literature, understandably continues to have a lasting influence on Bengalis.
Next up was a Bengali group song by Pratyusa, Sayantika, Monika, Arpita and Ankita. The women, all clad in yellow dhakar traditional sarees to denote the onset of the basant season, got the audience singing along with their cheerful and lively performance.

Little Arhan Dey’s piano playing and a very well-choreographed Assamese dance followed soon after.
Bengalis are not only known to be avid foodies but they take equal pleasure in serving the athithis (guests) as well. There was a copious amount of utterly delicious food to choose from, ranging from puchkas, mishti doi, rosgulla, coconut-shakkar crepes, malpua, dhokla, jalebi and fish cutlets – all of which were served with warmth and a big smile.

A few solo performances really stood out from the event – like Esha, Oorja Verma singing and Somnath Gupta’s guitar playing, while the power-packed dance performances by Madline, Maisha Dance group, Bollywood Bandwagon, Vershi, Preeti & Punchu and PBWA enthralled the guests. It was really gratifying to see different communities bonding over their love for tradition, culture and food.
Hope this New Year fulfils everyone’s desires, wishes and brings in prosperity!