Naba Barsha

The Bengalis welcome the new year "Naba Barsha", with the Poila Baishakh celebrations, It is mostly referred as Naba Barsa in Bengal and Pohela or Poila Baisakh in Bangladesh and is the first day in the Bengali Calendar. In 2008, the date of Bengali New Year is April 14. The Bengalis decorate their houses with intricate designs of a floor art called Alpana, a form of rangoli. White flour is used as a medium to make the patterns, and they make use of techniques gunrichitra or dhulichitra.