BOHAG BIHU – A FESTIVAL IN WHICH TRADITIONS INTERVENED
In a religious country like India, we rarely see people celebrating non-religious festivals and even if celebrated not much importance is given to them; but this non-religious Assamese festival just proves the assumptions wrong.
‘Bihu’ is an Assamese non-religious festival or more like a set of three festivals. Bihu is celebrated by Assamese all over the world and is given so much importance. It is a set of three festivals that are celebrated at three different times.
The three festivals that come under Bihu are, ‘Rongali’, ‘Kongali’, and ‘Bhogali’ also known as ‘Bohag Bihu’, ‘Kati Bihu’, and ‘Magh Bihu’. Rongali aka Bohag Bihu is celebrated in the month of April, Kongali aka Kati Bihu is celebrated in the month of October, and Bhogali aka Magh Bihu is observed in January.
And today Assam is celebrating Bohag Bihu. Rongali marks the arrival of spring and also coincides with the Assamese new year. This year, the celebrations of Rongali will start on April 14 and will continue till April 20. The Bohag Bihu celebrates the Assamese culture and tradition.
Assam households celebrate this festival with their friends and family by sharing happiness. They clean and decorate their houses with flowers, and rangoli colors; this is done according to the belief that a clean and decorated house welcomes fortune and prosperity.
Clean and decorated houses are then added glory with the family members in traditional Assamese attires. A festival without food? Is that even a festival? And so, to make this festival more enjoyable, mouth-watering dishes like pitha, Laru, fish curry, aloo pitika, and many more are prepared.
Assamese localities during the festival of Bihu organize dance competitions where people go and perform the traditional Bihu dance. And games are an important part of the festival; traditional games like egg fight, buffalo fight, and tekeli bhonga are played as a part of the celebration.
The festival celebration also involves witnessing cultural programs where Assamese traditional dances, songs, and movies are showcased. During this festival Bihu Pandals are set up at places in the locality; Pandals are temporary structures that are set up and decorated for the festival.
Due to migration and job settlements, people have left their native place but celebrating festivals like these is what keeps them close to their motherland and family. Assamese people are spread all over India but are united by these traditional festivals.
Tvbharat24 sends heartfelt Bohag Bihu wishes to every family celebrating, we wish fortune in wealth and health to you and your family.