Bengal welcomes 'Poila Baishak' with food and fun

The Bengali New Year 'Poila Baishak' was celebrated today in West Bengal with much feasting as traders began a fresh accounting year.
Long queues of devotees were seen in front of the Kali temple at Kalighat in the metropolis and Dakshineswar and adjacent Adyapeeth temples in North 24 Parganas district.
Traders took a holy dip in rivers including the Ganga and worshipped 'Lakshmi' and 'Ganesh'.
Bollywood actor Rajeev Khandelwal was among those who turned up at a street food festival organised at AMP Vaisaakkhi Mall in Salt Lake area, which was inaugurated during the day.
Khandelwal who was here to promote his upcoming Bollywood film 'Samrat & Co' said he loved Bengali food.

Hotels and restaurants laid out traditional cuisine from 'daab chingri', 'mutton dak bunglow' to 'illish paturi' and 'bhetki paturi' to satisfy the taste buds of Kolkatans.
SMS with 'Subho Nobo Borsho' were sent in abundance greeting friends and family members as Bengalis gorged on traditional sweet dishes like 'rosogollas', 'payesh', 'sandesh' and 'kalakand'.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her message said, "May the festivities strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and usher peace, happiness, prosperity and good health in your lives.