Traditional Bohuma Bihu of Sonowal Kachari

Culture & Tradition:- Bohuma Bihu a traditional Bihu festival of Sonowal Kachari communit is celebrating this festival from time immemorial at Dharmol Gaon village of Jamirah area around seven kilometers from Dibrugarh Town.

"This festival is organised on the tenth day of Assamese month Bohag.It is conducted after every two years.It is being celebrated like this since the time immemorial.Dressed like clows, a group of six-seven people performed the Bohuwa dance, who play the role of Daksha, Dakshini and Bhoot-pret, which is based on the myth of lord Shiva and his father-in-law king Daksha."

"The Festival Bohuwa Bihu is a unique traditional worship to deities by the people of Dhamol village since time immemorial. It is also specified that, the festival was originated in this village several decades back and performed by the people of the village only. The villagers worshiped in the deep jungle, in which no women and outsiders are allowed to join."

"The Traditional priest performed the prayer with those clowns and subsequently the clowns are brought to the public place in the village, where they perform the dance.For last many years, the festival has been organised by the Baglari family of the villages and so the public dance is also organised in the courtyard of this family,"

"There are some specific rules to perform the bihu and dance. The clowns have to wear a specific dress made of 120 pieces of banana leaf (bhim kol) and mask of 'gourd'.The people of the village only can prepare the dress."

No written documents are available about the festival except a short note written by late Dr Girinda Mohan Baglari. Baglari in his note describes the story of lord Shiva and Sati with King Daksh and his wife Dakshini and exchanged their head with the heads of a goat. After that, lord Shiva instructed the man to conduct Bohag Bihu on the first of Bohag month and perform 'ha sori' till eight days and use bamboo in the performace.On the tenth day,there should be a bohuwa dance with the songs based on the story of Daksha and Dakshini and their wrong deed,"

"After performing the dance, the clowns take bath in the nearest river and leave their dress in the river. People believe that the ritual brings peace and prosperity and welfare to the families of the society"

Words by Shankar Baglari ( with inputs from The Sentinel News)