Poush
Morning dew drops signal the arrival of Poush - the beginning of winter
Native nameপৌষ (Bengali)
Calendar
Month number
  • 9
Number of days
  • 30 (Bangladesh);
  • 29/30 (India)
SeasonWinter
Gregorian equivalentDecember-January
Significant daysPoush 31 - Poush Sankranti
← Ogrohayon
Magh →

Poush (Bengali: পৌষ; Nepali: पौष) is the 9th month of both the Bengali calendar[1] and the Nepali calendar. It overlaps December and January of the Gregorian calendar. It is the first month of the winter season. This month marks the start of Winter (শীত, Sheat) in the Bengali calendar.

Etymology

This month is named after the star Pushya (পুষ্যা).

Culture

During Poush crops are harvested and farmers often have ample food and income. Bengali people celebrate Poush Sankranti as one of their festival on the last day of Poush.[2] They make Pitha at their homes and share those among each others.[3] Bangladesh Poush Mela Udjapon Parishad organises a three-day fair in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[4][5]

In his novel Ganadevata, the noted Bengali writer Tarashankar Bandopadhyay quotes a rural rhyme:

Poush-Poush, golden Poush,
Come Poush but don't go away, don't ever leave,
Don't leave Poush, don't,
The husband and son will eat a full bowl of rice.[6]

Observances marked (per official use in Bangladesh)

References

  1. ^ "Bangabda - Banglapedia". en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
  2. ^ "Poush sankranti recipes". The Daily Star. 2016-01-05. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
  3. ^ "Poush mela and pitha utshab held". The Daily Star. 2015-01-15. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
  4. ^ "Winter melodies around Poush". The Daily Star. 2011-01-09. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
  5. ^ "Poush Mela held at Ramna". The Daily Star. 2015-01-09. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
  6. ^ Mukhopadhyay, Manabendra, Tarashankar's Birbhum , Paschim Banga , Birbhum Special Issue, February 2006, (in Bengali), pp. 259-68, Information & Cultural Department, Government of West Bengal.


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