Bohag Bihu is a seven-day festival of joy and abundance celebrated in Assam, a northeastern state of India. It is also known as Rongali Bihu or the spring festival, which signifies the onset of the seeding season. This year, Bohag Bihu will be celebrated from April 14-20, 2023. Let us dive deeper into this colorful festival and explore its various aspects.
Rongali Bihu: A Time for Joy and Happiness
Rongali Bihu is celebrated over 7 days and is one of the major festivals of Assam. It is a time for joy and happiness for the Assamese community, who celebrate it with great enthusiasm. The festival is celebrated with cultural programs, feasting, and exchanging gifts among family and friends.
The Seven Days of Bohag Bihu
Garu Bihu, the first day of Bohag Bihu, is dedicated to cattle. On this day, cows and bulls are bathed and decorated with flowers and vermilion. They are also fed special meals and offered prayers.
Manuh Bihu, the second day of Bohag Bihu, involves traditional baths and delicious food. People take a bath early in the morning with special herbs and enjoy traditional delicacies like pitha, laru, and doi.
Guxai Bihu, the third day of Bohag Bihu, is dedicated to worshipping household deities. People clean their houses and offer prayers to the deities.
Taator Bihu, the fourth day of Bohag Bihu, is celebrated for handlooms. On this day, women weave new clothes and offer them to the deities.
Nangolor Bihu, the fifth day of Bohag Bihu, is dedicated to farm equipment. People clean and decorate their farm equipment and offer prayers to the deities.
GharosiaJibar Bihu, the sixth day of Bohag Bihu, is celebrated for domestic animals. People clean and decorate their domestic animals and offer them special meals.
Chera Bihu, the final day of Bohag Bihu, is celebrated with much enthusiasm. People wear new clothes, visit their friends and relatives, and exchange gifts.
Traditional Musical Instruments of Bohag Bihu
Bohag Bihu celebrations are incomplete without traditional musical instruments like dhol, pepa, gogona, toka, and taal. The dhol is a large drum played with two sticks, while the pepa is a long trumpet made from buffalo horn. The gogona is a bamboo mouth organ, while the toka is a small drum played with a stick. The taal is a pair of cymbals.
World Record in Bihu Dance
On April 13 this year, Assam entered the Guinness Book of World Records by performing the traditional Bihu dance at a single venue with more than 11,000 performers, including drummers and dancers, participating at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati. The traditional dance is performed especially during the Bohag Bihu. The event aimed to put Assam’s cultural heritage on the world map.
