Bihu Festival
¤ The Lively Celebration
“Bihu anondia, Bihu binondia
Bihur mou mitha hat
Bihur ba lagi bihua kokair e
Deu dhoni laguse gat.”
(Bihu is full of joy, Bihu is beautiful,
Bihu songs are very sweet, when the winds of Bihu flow
The dancing spirit possesses one’s body).
The breathtaking hills and valleys of Assam come alive with the sound
of Bihu thrice a year. A festival that marks the change of season,
Bihu is accompanied both by prayer and great rejoicing. One of the
seven northeastern states of India (which are also known as the Seven
Sisters), Assam is renowned for its picturesque landscape, exotic
fauna and fun-loving people.
¤ Origin of Festival
Originating in the pre-Aryan days around 3500 b.c., the festival of
Bihu used to last for a whole month, though nowadays work pressure has
reduced it to a week. A no holds barred dancing session is the most
intriguing part of the festival and symbolises the fertility rites of
the original inhabitants of the hilly regions of the northeast in
India. The farmers fancied that the erotic content of the songs would
sexually arouse the earth’s body, leading to an abundant harvest.
Bihag Bihu or Rangoli Bihu, the first of the three Bihus, is
celebrated in the month of April on the dates coinciding with the
sankranti, chait or baisak (13, 14 and 15 April).
¤ Festival Celebration During The Assamese New Year
According to the solar calendar that the Assamese follow, the New
Year usually falls on 14th April. Brilliantly-coloured
flowers and luxuriant foliage dress the whole of Assam in all the hues
of the rainbow during the month of April. An abundance of kopoful
(orchids), mostly purple in colour, in unusual shapes and sizes dot
the trees, and the bhebel creepers are in full bloom creating an
enchanting kaleidoscope of colours. No one can fault the Assamese his
choice of seasons for the Bihu festivals.
The vivid attire of the Assamese youth and the colourful accessories
like kopoful adorning the hair of the young lasses blend with the hues
of nature, spreading joy and good cheer. The day is marked with
dancing, though restricted exclusively to men, who participate with
unbridled enthusiasm and energy. But the winds of change have blown
through this remote state also. Surrendering to contemporary trends,
youngsters gather in the town centre and learn the steps from an old
hand much in demand on this day.
¤ Gomacha Weaving for Dance
Assamese women are experts at weaving the gomacha, a towel with
intricately woven designs, ceremonially presented as any bihu (bihu
presents) to the men of the family. A young girl too may gift these
beautiful souvenirs to her beau as a token of love. Young lads love to
flaunt their prizes by tying them around their waist or as headbands
while dancing. But things start warming up as the Bihu Dals
approach. Now a few words about the bihu dals. They are wandering
minstrels who come visiting through the week, dancing and singing
devotional songs (hosari) in praise of Lord Krishna (the black god of
the Hindus), invoking his blessings for health, wealth and happiness.
They sing to the accompaniment of an eclectic collection of musical
instruments like the dhol (drum), pepa (made of buffalo horn), gogona
(made from bamboo and held between the teeth) and small cymbals. Bihu
dals along with other groups gather in open grounds called bihu tolis
where dancing competitions and beauty pageants are held, and the
winners get to see their names in print in the local newspapers.
¤ Garur Bihu
The first day or garur bihu also called uraka falls on the day of
sankranti and is devoted to the cow that is considered to be a sacred
animal in India. The rationale behind the worshipping of cows is very
simple. They are the greatest assets of a farmer because not only do
they produce milk but also help plough fields, transport men, crop and
so on. A lot of tender, loving care is showered on cows on this day,
starting with bathing them in the pond. The horns and hooves are
brushed with whisks made from deegloti or makheatr (lilsoca
salocrfolea). A mixture of twigs, turmeric and moong dal (pulses) acts
as a disinfectant, and is applied as a paste. A hearty meal of gourd
and brinjal is fed to the cows after which their foreheads are marked
with vermilion. As the night falls, the tired but satiated cows are
led back to their sheds and thoroughly cleansed. Only then does the
household sit down for a sumptuous meal of assorted preparations of
chirwa (flat rice) and a mind-boggling array of sweets.
The following day is welcomed as manuhor bihu or the bihu of human
beings. The Assamese celebrate their New Year on this day. A lavish
feast called bihu kabo loi is laid out for the day and married
daughters along with other relatives are invited to partake of the
meal. On this day, delicacies such as pitha (made from rice and
coconut), laddoo (made from shredded coconut) and til laddoo (made
from sesame seed) are prepared. of course, no festival in India is
complete without buying new clothes and Bihu is no exception. Everyone
receives gomachas as presents from the ladies of the house. Women look
very graceful in their new mekhele chadar, woven with the
golden-coloured muga silk that is indigenous to Assam. The chic look
is completed with the accessories like gumkham bracelets made from an
alloy of silver and gold nuggets found in the rivers.
¤ Gabhori Bihu
Gabhori bihu falls on the third day of the festival and is earmarked
as the day for young ladies. The fair maidens of Assam look gorgeous
in their muga silk wear and ornate gumkham bracelets. The orchids
adorning the hair of the ladies add a whimsical touch to the formality
of the outfit. Swaying to the beat of the toka (drum) and gogona (made
from bamboo held between the teeth), the women dance the night away
under the gentle breeze of banyan trees. Couplets are created
spontaneously. Starting with a slow tempo, the rhythm builds up to a
crescendo. Once the merrymaking is over, it is customary to present
fermented betel leaves over a gomacha to the dancers. On the final
day, the festivities end on a religious note wherein families inscribe
a mantra (religious hymn of the Hindus) on the leaves of nahar pat
(Indian ironwood tree). Through this mantra, Lord Shiva (the Destroyer
in the Holy Hindu Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) is invoked
to protect everyone against disease, storms and rain, and to bring
peace and prosperity in the forthcoming year.
¤ Kati Bihu
The second bihu named kati bihu or kangali bihu is held in the month
of kartik (September or October). But there is a world of difference
in the celebration of this bihu from the former.
Slowly but surely, winter is approaching, heralding the season for
sowing seeds.
This is a solemn occasion as people worship the deities for a rich
harvest. The young learn to value hard work so that they do not
squander money away.
Predictably enough, this bihu is dedicated to the worship of none
other than Goddess Lakshmi who is the dispenser of wealth to mortals.
As night falls, lamps are lit in the paddy fields where farmers have
toiled through the day. At the end of a hard day’s work, all the
members of a family pray to the benign Goddess for the well-being of
their crop and cattle.
Sacred to the Hindus, the tulsi (basil) tree is planted or pruned in
the courtyard of each household. Water is poured over the plant with
great reverence after puja is performed every day.
The medicinal properties of tulsi are well known the world over; the
age-old recipe of tulsi leaves mixed with a few grains of black pepper
and misri (sugar in the form of crystals) is a surefire way to stay in
good health.
¤ Magh Bihu
The Magh bihu that generally falls on 14th January on the
sankranti of the month, is the third bihu that calls for a grand
celebration in Assamese homes. This is again a joyous occasion as the
granaries are stocked with the recently harvested crop. Seven days of
non-stop fun and frolic mark this festival. But the best thing about
this bihu is the elaborate and sumptious cuisine that is prepared.
This grand feast known as bhog is held on the night of the first day
of the festival that is also called uruka.
¤ Khel Dhemali-(Fun Games)
If you are an outdoor person who enjoys sports of all kinds, Assam is
the place to be in at this time of the year. Everyone indulges in khel
dhemali (fun and games). Each village holds its share of fights
between various creatures, big and small including cockfights and
buffalo fights, for the entertainment of the locals. An inexpensive
way to have fun, though the poor animals might beg to differ. The
chilly winters offer the best excuse to light bonfires in the great
outdoors and dance around them with gay abandon. All this is
reminiscent of the festivals of Lohri in Punjab, Pongal in Tamil Nadu
and Goopi in Andhra Pradesh, which is not surprising as sankranti is a
time for festivals all over India.
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