Bangla Noboborsho celebrated with enthusiasm

Bengali songs played at countless cultural functions, while people attired in their best visited their friends and relatives as Bangla Noboborsho (Bengali New Year) was widely celebrated in the city and elsewhere in the state today.
As the morning heralded the start of 1424 Bangabdo, 'prabhat pheries' (morning rallies) were taken out in many localities with boys and girls attired in traditional dresses singing and dancing to the tunes of Rabindrasangeet and other Bengali songs.
Long queues were witnessed at the famous Kali temples at Kalighat, Thanthania Kali Bari and Dakshineswar. Traders offered puja with their new 'haalkhatas' (record books) to seek divine blessings at the start of the new accounting year and decked up their shops to greet customers with sweets and other refreshments.

'Bar Pujo', a unique custom continuing for years, was offered at Mohun Bagan and East Bengal club grounds praying success of the football teams on the turf throughout the season.
The advent of the month Baisakh was observed at Eco Park in New Town, the fast-emerging satellite township near Kolkata, as WBHIDCO launched its first ever Bengali New Year calendar with www.Madeinbengal.In.
At Laldighi area in central Kolkata, the city's central business district, 18 stalls were set up at a unique fair 'Dekho Re - Banglar Rosonar Ayna' to celebrate the quintessential Bengaliness.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Sovon Chatterjee said the fair will be a permanent one for the summer with kiosks selling food and artworks.

The name 'Dekho Re' has been taken from the famous song of Satyajit Ray's classic - Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne.
"On every Saturday and Sunday evenings, open air performances by baul singers will accompany mouth-watering delicacies of Bengal and terracota and other artworks," Chatterjee said.
The fair has been organised by KMC with help from the state Tourism and Information and Cultural Affairs departments and is conceptualised by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.