Bengalis welcome '1415' with new aspirations

Kolkata, Apr 14: The turmoil arising out of industrialisation and globalisation in West Bengal does not seem to have deterred the spirit of the Bengalis from celebrating 'Poila Baisakh', the Bengali New Year, which entered its 1415 year today.

Whether it is Kolkata or California, Tollywood or Bollywood, Bengalis are relinquishing the past and embracing the future with new bonds, ventures, visions, resolutions and aspirations.

People in this 'City of Joy' and elsewhere are celebrating the arrival of the New Year without worrying about the incidents of bird flu or repeated bandhs in the state.

Since early morning, long queues were seen in front of the Kalighat temple in the southern part of the city, where traders in large numbers assembled to seek the blessings of the Goddess to begin ''Halkhata'' (new ledger book) and worship Lord Ganesh for overall prosperity.

Hundreds of people also thronged the Dakshineswar temple and took a dip in the Ganges on this auspicious occasion.

''This is one day when we relive our culture and tradition. Women put on the typical Bengali style saris and men wear 'dhotis' or 'pyjama-kurta' and pray for peace and prosperity,'' observed one Sukanta Saha, a goldsmith.

''Everyone turns out to be a true Bengali on this day. I wish this feeling of living, eating and being Bengali persists all through the year,'' Mr Saha opined.

Cloth merchant Anirban Basak, also in the queue in front of the temple, glorified the city for all its achievement, including the historical journey of ''Moitree Express'' today.

''As '1415' unfolds, Kolkata is really coming up, there is development all around. I feel we all should be responsible for its welfare and growth, '' Mr Basak maintained.

UNI