Culture & Tradition: The Bihu festival is, the springtime festival of Assam (India) .It is the festival celebrated on the ‘Bisuva Sankranti Day that is, the last day of the year.This festival is celebrated for seven days starting from the last day of Chaitra.
And till the 7th day of the month of Bohag.The word Bihu comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Bisuva’.It is celebrated with the very much singing and dancing and merry-making the Bihu festival is the biggest festival of the Assam the Bihu festival is also called Rangali Bihu in Assamese language it means delightful or merrymaking festival this Bihu festival is expressing of joy of the people and also welcoming the spring season during that spring season nature is charming in beautiful form and the trees creepers are adorned with flowers of various types of colours.Beauty is seen all around during the spring season in Assam.
The first day of this Bihu festival is known as the Goru Bihu and is reserved for cattle rites.The household is cleaned,the cows’ feet are washed ,oil rubbed on their horns and hooves , and sometimes they are decorated with garlands.Then they are taken to a nearby river pond .On the way are gently struck with twigs of the dighalati and makhiyati plants , and pieces of gourd,brinjal and other vegetables which are fitted on bamboo sticks are thrown at them, while the following verses are recited:
The dighalati has long leaves,
We beat the cows again and again.
Eat the gourd, eat the brinjal,
And grow from year to year.
Your mother was small; your father was small,
May you grow into a big cow?
It is mostly children who enthusiastically do these rites supervised by grown-ups. At the river or pond,the cows are given a ceremonial wash, and those accompanying them also bathe.Then the old ropes tying the cattle are undone and the cows let loose for the day.
On returning home, the young pay homage to their elders who give them their blessings.After a special bath, the older members of the family offer prayers at the family altar or at the community prayer-hall.The Bath is considered special because, before it, it is customary to rub oneself with a paste of mati mah (urad dal), turmeric, neem leaves, etc. In the evening,when the cows are back a lighted earthen lamp is placed in the cowshed. The cows are fastened with new ropes.Homage is paid to them and they are offered cakes and sweets to eat. A special smudge is burnt not only to drive away mosquitoes and fleas but also diseases and other evils.
On the second day,the first day of Bohag is Human Bihu day .On this day also,homage is offered to elders, and relatives and friends are visited.The Bihu meal is special one consisting of Chira,curds and sweets.In the second day Bihu offering presents consisting of some clothes as Bihuwan woven by the women on their family loom they present each other garments or other articles as a symbol of affection and respect and all put on new clothes and get ready for the festival.For a whole week, the festival goes on through dances, songs, feasts and entertainments The air becomes alive with the sounds of drums, flutes and cymbals.Young men go from house to house singing a kind of song, known as the ‘Huchari’
Words by The Bodo Tribe 18 (Team)
Very nice post. Really Ambubasi mela is the most unique festival of Assam state
ReplyDeletethe bwisagu festival of bodos in assam