Breathing Baishakh

The flamboyant beginning of the Bengali New Year is celebrated with great pomp and circumstance by Bangladeshis, both at home and abroad. We want to begin the New Year on an auspicious note, and what is a better way to do it than having friends and family over with delicious food, music and laughter? 

The festive spirit is infectious and exciting during this time of the year, but it takes a lot of work and planning to arrange for a memorable party. 

Having made the decision to throw a party for Pahela Baishakh, you would need to make certain lists. Firstly, draw up a guest list. Is your gathering a small, medium or a large one? Intimate gatherings call for cosy, relaxed setting and you can get away with having an elaborate menu as there are less people to feed. 

Medium to large parties require much more preparation and method to execute. Having a guest list on hand also lets you decide on the right mix or people. 

Next, plan the menu. For Pahela Baishakh the menu is traditionally Bangladeshi, so note down and procure the items that are not a part of your usual grocery list. Items such as shutki maach, coconut, molasses, daal er bori, different kinds of lentils, etc. require special attention, even more so if you live abroad. For desserts, if you are serving different kinds of pithas then prepare for them ahead of time.

Following food, the décor of a party truly heightens the spirit of celebration and festivity. The beauty of seasonal décor is that one can get away with a few tweaks around the household instead of redoing the whole space entirely. 

To bring the Baishakhi fervour to your party, put away your usual china and crystals and use terracotta and brass service instead. Wooden and brass cutlery can be used instead of the usual silverware. 

Crockery fashioned out of wood and other organic material is also great and adds a rustic charm to the table. Banana leaves could be used as placemats and coasters. Organic, cotton or muslin tablecloths and napkins with Nokshi Kantha, block print or vegetable dye is a great option too. Earthenware vases look great instead of crystals on this day, and local flowers such as marigolds, tuberoses, gardenias and even lotuses look fabulously deshi! Shitol Paati and jute rugs can be used for late afternoon lounging, replacing the usual sofa and chaise. A colourful, embroidered Hath Pakha brings back memories of grandmothers fanning away the scorching heat of Baishakh, and you could use one to add undeniable Bangaliana to your party! And a vintage silver betel-nut-cracker complete with a 'paner dibba' will secure your position as the most innovative host among your circle! 

We Bengalis love our leisurely adda, and we also love snacks to go with it! Snacks that are essentially deshi in nature such as batasha, narikel chira, moa and morobba served in earthenware pots and bowls look and taste wonderful. 

Kacha amer bhorta, another Baishakh favourite can also be served with a side of red chilli and salt. 

Baishakh is the time when many luscious fruits appear in markets. Arrange some of the deshi fruits such as kotbel, lotkon, boroi and aata artfully in a clay or wooden fruit bowl and let your guests try delightful local produce. Fruit juices such as kancha aamer shorbot, tetul er shorbot and akher rosh are great beverages for Baishakh. 

In essence, let your inner Bangaliana take over and put out a fabulous spread, the deshi way! 

By Sabrina N Bhuiyan
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed