Bohag Bihu/ Rongali Bihu and Baishagu (in Bodo) is one of the main festivals of Assam. It is celebrated in the month of April when the Assamese New Year starts. It is the festival when the agrarian Assamese society gets ready for the next agricultural cycle. The festival is full of fun and joy and hence, it is also called Rongali. Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu is the time when the boys get ready with their dhol and pepa to woo their loves in Bihu dance. It is the festival of dance and songs, visiting relatives, and neighbors seeking their blessing for the whole new year.
On the first day of Bohag Bihu, all the cattle in a household gets special treatment. They are given ceremonial baths after smearing black gram and turmeric paste. This is a community ritual where all the cattle of a locality is taken to a community pond or nearby river. The small boys drive the cattle to the pond or river with two herbs, digholoti, and makhiyoti and sing,
"Digholotir dighal jaat, makhi maro jaat".
It is believed that when the cattle are specked by these herbs, the flies won't bother them for the year long. After the bath, the cattle are adorned with garlands made by vegetables like bottole gourd, eggplant, thekera. They are also given the vegetables to eat while singing the following song,
"Lao Kha, bengena kha, bosore bosore barhi ja : ma saru, bapera saru, toi hobi bor goru."
The first day of Assamese New year celebrated as Manuh Bihu-Festival for Human. People take a ceremonial bath with the paste of black granite and turmeric. It is believed that these pastes help to fight any kind of skin anomaly. After the bath, the blessing is sought from the elders with offering them bihuwan. Bihuwan is a gamosa which is made especially for the Bihu. Jolpan, consisting laru, pitha, sandoh, curd etc are served.
The third day of Bihu is Devotar Bihu.This day Assamese people celebrated for their forefather. Lots of rituals observed in the whole day. Besides these rituals, much outdoor celebration (Mokalir Bihu) arranged in community spaces all around the Assam whole month of Bohag (14th April to 15 May)
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| Herbal smog in front of home as insect repellent during first of Bohag Bihu |
The third day of Bihu is Devotar Bihu.This day Assamese people celebrated for their forefather. Lots of rituals observed in the whole day. Besides these rituals, much outdoor celebration (Mokalir Bihu) arranged in community spaces all around the Assam whole month of Bohag (14th April to 15 May)
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| Enjoying chicken egg (Koni zuz) fighting on occasion of Ronagali Bihu |
Let us welcome the Bohag/Rangoli Bihu with Great Hope, Eagerness and Anticipation. Let us look forward to a plentiful year of joy, satisfaction, peace and prosperity.
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| At the site of cattle community bathing place |
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| Villagers moving on the early morning for community cattle bath |
This is a time for new beginnings and for the celebration of life-Happy Rongali Bihu to all of my readers.
https://youtu.be/w6dC90CMQN0
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