Festivals of Assam : Bihu

Bihu

Bihu is the greatest festival of Assamese people. It is secular in concept because it is intimately connected with agriculture. There are three bihus that come off at various stages of the cultivation of paddy , the principal crop of Assam. Bahag (Baisakh) Bihu, Kati (Kartika) Bihu, and Magh (bihu). At the first stage, the cultivators start preparing the fields; at the second stage young paddy seedlings, after transplantation, begin to grow; at the third stage; the harvest has been gathered. Bohag Bihu is the most important of the three. It is also popularly called Rangali Bihu (bihu of merriment). The festival begins on the last day of Chaitra. This Sankranti day is meant for cattle, in the early hours of the morning cows are taken out for washing in the nearest ponds and rivers.

On the first day of this Bihu, which is meant for the cows, in the early hours of the morning cows are taken out for washing in the nearest ponds and 'Beels'. With the help of a small three pronged shaped Bamboo implement, brinjals and water gourd are cut into pieces and hurled at the cows. Other vegetables like bitter gourd, turmeric and Thekera (the gamboze fruit) are also used. These implement are interchanged with others to ward off the evil. Later in the evening when the cows return home they are tied to new Pogha (rope for tying cow) and the shed is filled with smoke to prevent any evil. Cows are indispensible for cultivation and thus such treatment on the special day. Another important ritual of this day is that ladies and girls apply henna and mehendi on their hands and feet. Mehendi (localley known as Jetuka) is a way of bringing colour to life, apart form is medicinal properties. Manuh Bihu follows Goru Bihu when people visit relatives and exchange Gamochas (a kind of towel woven in cotton). Bihuwan or this Gamocha is a symbol of dignity in Assamese society. Jalpaan, a special food item, is an important part of Bihu. Chira-Doi (flat rice made out of parched half boiled paddy and curds), Aakhoi (fried paddy or Indian corn etc.) Gur (raw or unrefined sugar; molasses), Sandahguri (wet rice parched and pounded into lumps ) etc. mainly comprise the Jalpaan. Pithas or rice cakes wich are parts of the Assamese delicacy add richness to the feast. Bohag Bihu is the time when people sort out their differences. Hunsari is an integral part of Bohag Bihu. Hunsari constitutes a team which has an elderly member who leads the other members of the team with men and boys, who go and sing Bihu songs at the houses of every person in the village. The team makes a visit first to the most revered person in the village. The Hunsari team is generally presented with Seleng Chadar (this cloth wrapped round the body), flowery Gamochas or flowery, colourful towels and a silver coin or so. This is the householders' way of according them respect. The money collected from Hunsari singing is used for development works like building of a library, a naamghar etc. People also have community feasts with the money collected in this manner. It is a time honoured custom to offer Tamol-Paan or betel nuts to the Hunsari Dol in Bohag Bihu.

Bihu folk dance is a separate item performed by both young men and women. The songs sung are mostly folk tune based and are related to love. Games like bull-fight, cock-fight, arm wrestling are popular. During Ahom rule these games ware held in the fields close to Ranghar taking on the character of Olympiad held in Greece in ancient times. The last day of Bihu is called Chera Bihu. It is a tradition to eat Pita Bhaat (cooked rice soaked in water overnight and consumed the next day) and curds. Hand fans are used for the first time during the year heralding the advent of spring. The Assamese in villages bid farewell to Bihu in a traditional manner. After seven days or eleven days of the Chera Bihu a group of young people go and pay their respects in the Naamghar with a Sarai (tray with a stand) of Tample-Paan and Gamocha to formally wind up the Bihu festival. Then they go to a big tree near the village and put the Bihuwan on one of its branches and then leave an instrument used in the 'Bihu Utsav', thus symbolically bidding farewell to that year's Bihu.

Kaati Bihu

Towards the end of Aahin (sixth month of the Assamese calender) month the farmers' labour brings forth the golden glow on the ripe grain. In the month of Assamese calender) following Aahin, the farmer gets ready to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is done by lighting chakis (earthen lamps) under the Tulsi (black basil) plant. Kaati Bihu is the time when the granary is empty hence lending the name Kangali Bihu. The granary is also adorned with an earthen lamp so as the auger a full granary throughout the coming months. There is another custom of lighting an earthen lamp the departed one's soul to the other world. This earthen lamp is also called Aakash Banti. Parallel to this Bihu, the festival of Deepavali is also celebrated, with the lighted diyas dispelling the darkness.

Maagh Bihu

It is observed to celebrate the harvesting of grain. It is usually held on the 14th and 15th of January (1st and 2nd Maagh, the tenth month of Assamese calender).
The first day is called Uruka, when people build a temporary shed and have feast. Four bamboo rods are placed beside the four post and then a Meji (a pile or column on split fire-wood or straw erected for burning in the early morning of the Maagh Bihu is built in the shape of a temple in a conical shape. In the early hours of the next day people take bath and after the Meji is lighted, the pay their respect and the Bihu is officially started. The ashes of the burnt Meji is scattered over the fields, for it is believed that doing so would increase the fertility of the soil. Delicacies like pithas are served together with Jalpaan. Various kinds of potatoes (Kaath Aloo, Mitha Aloo etc. ) are also eaten on this day. Many games are also played keeping the spirit of the Bihu alive.