Bohag Bihu, also known as Rongali Bihu, is the most celebrated and vibrant festival of Assam, marking the Assamese New Year and the onset of the harvest season. It usually falls in mid-April and coincides with other Indian New Year festivals like Vaisakhi (Punjab), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Pohela Boishakh (Bengal), and Vishu (Kerala).
Here’s a breakdown of Bohag Bihu and its cultural significance:
1. Meaning and Timeframe:
Bohag is the first month of the Assamese calendar.
Celebrated over seven days, known collectively as "Xaat Bihu".
Takes place in the second week of April, usually from April 14 to April 20.
2. Key Days of Bohag Bihu:
1. Goru Bihu (Day of Cattle) – First day, dedicated to worshipping and bathing cattle for agricultural prosperity.
2. Manuh Bihu (Day of Humans) – Second day, people wear new clothes, seek blessings from elders, and enjoy traditional feasts.
3. The remaining days celebrate:
Husori (visits by Bihu groups to homes),
Mukoli Bihu (open-air performances),
Senehi Bihu (celebrating love and youth),
Chera Bihu (farewell to Bihu with resolutions for the year).
3. Cultural Elements:
Bihu Dance: Performed by young men and women in traditional attire with rhythmic steps and expressions of joy and love.
Bihu Songs (Bihu Geet): Folk songs that express romance, community bonding, and the beauty of nature.
Traditional Dress:
Women wear Mekhela Chador (often adorned with golden Muga silk).
Men wear Dhoti and Gamosa (a woven cotton towel symbolic of Assamese identity).
Instruments Used: Dhol (drum), Pepa (buffalo horn pipe), Taal (cymbals), Gogona, Toka, and Baanhi (flute).
4. Food and Festivity:
Traditional sweets like Pitha (rice cakes), Laru (coconut and sesame sweets), and various rice delicacies are made.
Homes are decorated, and community feasts are common.
5. Spirit of Bihu:
Bohag Bihu is a festival of renewal, love, harmony, and community spirit. It is deeply connected to agriculture, the rhythms of nature, and the celebration of life itself.