Pohela Falgun

About Pohela Falgun

Falgun and Chaitra make up Basanta, spring, the last season of the Bangla year. After the short, dry winter the trees flower again: red shimul and palash, and mango blossom, and the weather turns mild. Pohela Falgun, the first of Falgun, is the day people go out to greet the new season, a custom known as Basanta Utsab or Basanta Baran. It is a cultural celebration with no religious rite attached, and people of every background take part.

Under the Bangla calendar revised by Bangla Academy, 1 Falgun falls on 14 February every year. Before the revision it usually came a day earlier, on 13 February, so the two celebrations sat side by side. Now they share the same date. The day is not a public holiday, but universities, cultural groups and parks are busy from the morning.

Valentine's Day arrived in Bangladesh much later, spreading through cities in the 1990s, and it has grown into a popular day for couples, friends and families to exchange flowers, cards and small gifts. Because it coincides with Pohela Falgun, many people simply wear spring yellow and celebrate both at once. February is also the month of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, so a visit to the fair is often part of the day.

How it is celebrated

The signature colour is basanti, a warm yellow or orange like spring blossom. Women wear yellow or orange saris with flower crowns of marigold and other seasonal blooms, often with glass bangles; men choose yellow, orange or white panjabis. In Dhaka the national Basanta Utsab committee holds songs, recitation and dance from the morning, and the Charukola grounds of Dhaka University, the book fair area and parks fill up with families and students. Similar programmes run in Chattogram, Rajshahi and other cities.

Flower sellers have one of their busiest days of the year, and the flower markets around Shahbag in Dhaka work through the night before. Restaurants and sweet shops fill up in the evening, and couples, friends and families exchange roses, cards and small gifts for Valentine's Day.

What people buy

1. Yellow and orange saris

   Basanti saris in cotton, half-silk or jamdani are the core purchase. Many women buy one in late January so there is time for a matching blouse.

2. Panjabis

   Yellow, mustard and orange panjabis sell well among men, and some couples coordinate colours with a partner's sari.

3. Flower crowns and garlands

   Fresh crowns are bought on the day from street sellers, while artificial versions can be ordered in advance and kept.

4. Bangles and jewellery

   Glass bangles, terracotta and oxidised jewellery and flower-shaped earrings finish a spring outfit without costing much.

5. Flowers and bouquets

   Roses, gerberas and mixed bouquets are bought both for Valentine's Day and simply to bring spring indoors.

6. Chocolates and cards

   Boxed chocolates, cakes and handmade cards are the quick Valentine's Day buys, especially among students.

Gift ideas

1. A basanti sari or panjabi

   Clothing in spring colours is a thoughtful gift that can be worn on the day itself if it arrives in time.

2. Perfume or attar

   A fragrance is a classic gift for a partner, and many local shops sell gift-boxed sets.

3. Books

   With the book fair running all month, a new novel or a book of poems is a gift with a February feel.

4. Handmade jewellery

   Earrings, pendants or bangles from small makers feel personal and pair well with a yellow outfit.

5. Indoor plants

   A potted plant lasts long after cut flowers fade and suits the spirit of a spring festival.

Shopping tips

Order clothes and jewellery about two weeks before 14 February. The days just before are crowded, and fresh flowers are best bought locally on the day, because they will not survive a long courier trip.

On Midmart each shop handles its own sales and delivery, and delivery is charged per shop. A sari from one shop, bangles from another and chocolates from a third means three parcels and three delivery charges, so grouping items from the same seller saves money. Midmart never takes payment or arranges delivery: every seller agrees payment and shipping with you directly, so confirm the delivery date before ordering a gift that has to arrive on the day.

Shop for Pohela Falgun

• yellow saree
• flower crown
• panjabi
• glass bangles
• valentine gift
• chocolate
• perfume

Pohela Falgun dates

Dates marked “expected” depend on the moon sighting or the official calendar and are confirmed close to the day.

Questions about Pohela Falgun

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