Lakhimpur all set to celebrate Rongali Bihu with cultural traditions

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The people of Lakhimpur, irrespective of their caste and creed, age and gender, are all set to celebrate the agriculture related spring festival Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, which is also known as Xaat Bihu, from Friday.

Bohag Bihu is celebrated by the people of the district amid the melodious songs of Kuli (cuckoo) and Keteki (Ceylon hawk cuckoo) and the blended notes of Bihu naam with various dance forms, along with the resonated sounds of traditional-musical instruments like dhol, pepa, gagana, sutuli glorifying the bond of unity among different native communities of the State, regardless of their backgrounds, castes and creeds, religions and languages.

On Thursday, village women were seen busy in making the traditional Bihu delicacies while the youths completed their all arrangements for the door-to-door performance of husori and Bihu dance. Various organizations and educational institutions of the district organized ‘Bihu Adarani’ events on the day with their unique programmes.

Goru Bihu, the first day of Rongali Bihu, will be celebrated on Friday. On that day in the morning, the cattle of the village will be brought to the water sources collectively. Then they will be washed with a combination of symbolic herbs by singing the traditional songs, thereby praying for their upkeep in the upcoming year. On the same day, the farmers of the villages will get ready for the cultivation in the upcoming rainy season and start the cultivation work by sowing seeds of the crops symbolically. On the other hand, the village people will start husori performance at each and every household wishing for the peace and prosperity of the family members.

This tradition of conducting husori as well as mukoli Bihu will be ongoing for the next six days. Various organizations and institutions of the district have also initiated steps to ceremonially observe the Goru Bihu. This year, the 65th Kendriya Rongali Bihu Sanmilan of Lakhimpur will celebrate the event at Ranganadi Ghat at No. 1 Panch Noi village in association with the villagers of No 2 Gibarishali, Bogolijan, No. Panch Noi and No. 2 Panch Noi villages.

On the other hand, the main Bihu of the Rongali Buhu will be celebrated on Saturday with due fun and festivities along with traditional formalities. This day also marks the beginning of the new year of the Assamese calendar. On this day, people will offer prayers at the naamghars and temples in order to get blessings from the Almighty for healthy and prosperous life.

On Sunday, Gosai Bihu will be celebrated seeking the intervention of the divine to keep the people safe from all ominous things and calamities in the upcoming days of the year. It will be followed by the observance of the Kutum Bihu on Monday. On this day, people will visit their families, relatives and friends to strengthen the bond love, harmony and peace. It will be followed by Mela Bihu on Tuesday while Senehi Bihu and Sera Bihu will be observed on next Wednesday and Thursday respectively.