Nababarsher Boithok O’ Noishobhoj – 1432 (2025) – 5th Year
BRISBANE, QLD – The vibrant spirit of Bengal resonated through Clayfield on Saturday, May 10th, as Brisbane’s Bengali community came together for a spectacular celebration of the Bengali New Year, known as Poyla Boishakh (Naba Barsho). Organized by The Bengal community group, the fifth annual “Nababarsher Boithok O’ Noishobhoj” (Bengali New Year’s Gathering and Dinner) at Clayfield Uniting Church, marked a joyous occasion for Bengalis residing in Brisbane and beyond.
Poyla Boishakh, also sometimes referred to as Ekla Boishakh or Pohela Boishakh, holds immense cultural significance for the Bengali community symbolizing cultural identity and the region’s rich heritage. It marks the auspicious start of the Bengali New Year, a day traditionally considered ideal for new beginnings, from launching businesses to purchasing new assets. Celebrated with great zeal across West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bangladesh, its enthusiasm has now spread to Bengali communities worldwide, including Brisbane.
The evening commenced precisely at 6:32 PM with a ceremonial inauguration lamp, lighted by respected Umesh Chandra-OAM, setting a traditional and auspicious tone. The cultural program that followed was a delightful showcase of local talent. Young Bengali kids impressed the audience with their performances, while Raina Dutta captivated with “Bechey Thakar Gaan,” and Arundhuti Mukherjee stirred emotions with “Jadi Tor Daak Suney Keyo Na Asey.” The “Brissy Sisters” Zaisha & Annesha Chakrabarty charmed everyone singing “Kamola Nrittya Korey,” and Vivek Roy Pradhan delivered popular Arijit Singh scores, “Ke Tui Bol” and “Saman Re.” Rishav Mandal expertly served as the Master of Ceremony for this cultural segment. Arghya Mukherjee and Mithun Chakrabarty was incharge of stage management.
The festivities then shifted to a series of fun-filled competitions that brought the community’s competitive and playful spirit. The “Sera Ginni – Best Chef in Brisbane” cooking competition saw talented home cooks prepare the traditional Bengali dish, Chanar Dalna (Cottage Cheese Curry). Pamela Sarkar was crowned Sera Ginni, with Sarbani Dhur as “Secret Chef” and Sudheshna Paul as runner-up, judged by Brinda Dutta Mitra & Ranjan Saha. The “Jodi No-1” (Best Couple in Brisbane) title, decided after a series of engaging challenges, was won by Vijoy & Minali.
A highlight was the vibrant “Best Dressed Up” competition across four categories: Sera Bouma (Best Dressed Lady), Sera Babumasai (Best Dressed Male), Sera Khukumoni (Best Dressed Girl), and Sera Khokababu (Best Dressed Boy). Participants ranging from 6 to 60 years graced the ramp with traditional Bengali attire. Atandtila Saha (Sera Bouma), Ranjan Saha (Sera Babumasai), Raina Dutta (Sera Khukumoni), and Aariv Goswami (Sera Khokababu) emerged as the winners, judged by Sudipto, Saheli and Saurav Chanda. Additional quiz prizes were won by Portia Joshi, Brinda Mitra Dutta, Sulagna Paul Chowdhury & Sudeshna Paul, with Anjan Kundu coordinating the entire program. The evening concluded with a raffle, where guests eagerly won attractive prizes.
No Bengali celebration is complete without its culinary delights, and the “Noishobhoj” (Dinner) was an extravagant affair of authentic Bengali cuisine. Guests were welcomed with refreshing Lebur Sarbot (lemon juice), Cha (Tea), Singara (Samosa), and Badam Makha (Bengali-style peanut mixture), alongside fruit juice, chips, and chocolates for the younger attendees. The main course was a lavish spread featuring Basanti Polao (Sweet Fried Rice), Kolkata-style Fish Fry, fresh Salad, Kashmiri Phul Kopi (Roasted Cauliflower), rich Kosha Mangsho (Mutton Curry), Malai Paneer for vegetarians, Chutney, Papad, and traditional sweets like Rasogolla and Misti Doi (Sweet Bengali-style Yoghurt). Paan Masala and cold drinks completed the feast. The delectable spread was prepared by Om Catering, led by renowned chef Sandip Das.
The seamless execution of the event was a testament to the dedicated efforts of the organizing team, including Mantu Sarkar, Banibrata Mukherjee, Sudipto Dutta, Saurabh Chanda, Saswata Mukjerjee, Pinaki Guha, Kajol Roy Pradhan, Jyothin Joshi, Saheli Mukherjee, Sarbani Dhur, Sangeeta Roy Pradhan, Lopamudra Ghosh, Sweta Kishore, Surajt Bhattyacharya, Rajib Paul, Soumitra Rao and others. All the special moments captured by reknowned photographer Krishnendu Bhattyacharya.
Every guest received a thoughtful gift bag containing a traditional Bengali Calendar, shopping vouchers, and snacks, adding to the festive takeaway. The Bengal extended heartfelt thanks to their generous sponsors: Swarop from Swades Foods, Benny from Indian Spice Shop, Kiran from All India Food (Woolloongabba), Sree from Dosa Hut (Aspley), Sunny from Bombay Dhaba, Amrit from Cabbage Patch Market (Deagon), Troy from Coco’s Annerley, Debdep Panigrahi from V Property and Soumitra Rao. The Australian Indian Times and Australian Indian Radio served as proud media partners for the event.
The “Nababarsher Boithok O’ Noishobhoj-1432 (2025)” organized by The Bengal powerfully conveyed the message of unity and harmony. It provided a cherished platform for Bengali people residing in Brisbane, regardless of background, to come together, celebrate their rich traditions and values, reflect on the past year, and look forward to a promising future, further strengthening the community’s vibrant presence in the city.
Correspondence – Saheli Mukherjee
Photography – Krishnendu Bhattyacharya
