Culture of Assam - Festivals

Festivals in Assam:

Bihu:

                     Bihu denotes a set of three different cultural festivals of Assam. Though they owe their origins to ancient rites and practices they have taken definite urban features and have become popular festivals in urban and commercialized milieus in the recent decades. Bihu is also used to imply Bihu dance and Bihu folk songs. The Bihus are the national festivals of Assam. The most important festivals of Assam are the Bihus, celebrated with fun and abundance by all Assamese people irrespective of caste, creed, religion, faith and belief. The word Bihu is derived from visuvan that describes a number of festivals in India that are associated with the March equinox.^[1] In Assam, the Rongali Bihu draws from many different traditions—Austro-Asiatic, Sino-Burmese and Indo-Aryan—and is celebrated with particular fervor. Celebrations begin in the middle of April and generally continue for a month. In addition there are two other Bihus: Kongali Bihu in October (associated with the September equinox) and Bhogali Bihu in January (associated with the January solstice). Like most other Indian festivals, Bihu (all three) are associated with farming; as the traditional Assamese society is predominantly dependent on farming. In fact, similar festivals are also celebrated around the same time elsewhere in India.

The Three Bihus of Assam:

                  In a year there are three Bihu festivals in Assam - in the months of Bohaag (Baisakh, the middle of April), Maagh (the middle of January), and Kaati (Kartik, the middle of October). The Bihus have been celebrated in Assam since ancient times. Each Bihu coincides with a distinctive phase in the farming calendar. The most important and colourful of the three Bihu festival is the Spring festival "Bohag Bihu" or Rongali Bihu celebrated in the middle of April. This is also the beginning of the agricultural season.

Rongali Bihu:

                     Rongali Bihu (mid-April, also called Bohag Bihu), the most popular Bihu celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year (around April 15) and the coming of Spring. This marks the first day of the Hindu solar calendar and is also observed in Bengal, Manipur, Nepal, Orissa, Punjab, Kerala and Tamil Nadu though called by different names. It's a time of merriment and feasting and continues, in general, for seven days. The farmers prepare the fields for cultivation of paddy and there is a feeling of joy around. The ladies make pitha, larus (traditional food made of rice and coconut) and Jolpan which gives the real essence of the season. The first day of the bihu is called goru bihu or cow bihu, where the cows are washed and worshipped, which falls on the last day of the previous year, usually on April 14. This is followed by manuh (human) bihu on April 15, the New Year Day. This is the day of getting cleaned up, wearing new cloths and celebrating and getting ready for the new year with fresh vigor. The third day is Gosai (Gods) bihu; statues of Gods, worshiped in all households are cleaned and worshiped asking for a smooth new year.

The folk songs associated with the Bohag Bihu are called Bihugeets or Bihu songs. The form of celebration and rites vary among different demographic groups.

Goru Bihu

                 The goru bihu or cattle worship rites are observed on the last day of the year. The cattle are washed, smeared with ground turmeric and other pastes, struck with sprigs of dighalati and makhiyati and endeared to be healthy and productive (lao kha, bengena kha, bosore bosore barhi ja/maar xoru, baper xoru, toi hobi bor bor goru—eat gourd, eat brinjal, grow from year to year/your mother is small, your father is small, but you be a large one). The old cattle ropes are cast away through the legs and new ropes are tied to them, and they are allowed to roam anywhere they wished for the entire day.

Manuh Bihu

                    The New Year day, the day after the goru bihu, is called the manuh bihu. Elders are shown respect, with gifts of bihuwan (a gamosa), a hachoti (kerchief), a cheleng etc., and their blessings are sought. Children are given new clothes, and Husori singing begins on this day, and people visit their relatives and friends.

Husori

                   Village elders move from household to households singing carols, also in the style of bihu geets, called husoris. It possibly derives from the Dimasa Kachari word formation ha (land) and char (move over): hachari. Villages could have more than one Husori band, and they would visit households in a village non-contiguous to itself, first singing carols at the Naamghar. The husari singers then visit individual households, by first announcing their arrival at the gate (podulimukh) with drum beats. The singers are traditionally welcomed into the courtyard where they sing the husori songs and perform a ring dance. At the end of the performance they are thanked with an offering of tamul in a xorai, whereupon the singers bless the household for the coming year. If there is a bereavement in the family, or the family does not invite the husori singers due to an illness, the husori band offers blessings from podulimukh and move on. Generally the singers are all male.

 

Fat Bihu

                   This is a very old form of Bihu, characterized by spontaneity, popular in the Lakhimpur area of Assam. According to legend, the first Ahom king, Sukaphaa, traveled to the region to watch it in the early 13th century.

 

Mukoli Bihu

                   Young unmarried men and women attired in traditional golden silk muga dance the bihu and sing bihu songs in the open fields. The songs have themes of romance and sexual love, requited or unrequited. Sometimes the songs describe tragic events too, but treated very lightly. The dance celebrates female sexuality.

 

Jeng Bihu

                   This is Bihu dance and song performed and watched only by women. The name "jeng" comes from the fact that in earlier days women in the villages used to surround the place of their performance with sticks dug into the ground called jeng in Assamese.

 

Baisago

                    The Bodo-Kachari people celebrate for seven days—the first day for cattle (Magou), the second day for man (Mansoi) and ancestor worship, feasting, singing and merriment. Songs follow the same themes as the Bihu songs.

 

Bihutoli Bihu

                     The rural festival made its transition to urban life when it was first time brought to the stage in Lataxil field in Guwahati by the Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani in 1962, promoted by leading citizens like Radha Govinda Baruah and others. Unlike the rural version, the dancers danced on a makeshift elevated stage in an open area that came to be known as a Bihutoli. Many such Bihutolis have sprouted since then in Guwahati and other urban areas. The performances are not confined to the bihu dance form, but may incorporate all forms of theatrical performances to keep the audience enthralled well into the early hours. Performances could include standup comedy, to concerts by solo singers. The stage form of bihu has become so popular, that organizers have begun extending the celebrations to bohagi bidai, or farewell to the Bohag month, which are similar performances held a month later.

                   Rongali Bihu is also a fertility festival, where the bihu dance with its sensous movements using the hips, arms, etc, by the young women call out to celebrate their fertility. In this aspect, the bihu dance can also be called a mating ritual by the young men and women.

Instruments used in Bihu

• Dhol(Drum)
• Taal
• Pepa (An instrument made of buffalo horn)
• Toka
• Baanhi (Flute)
• Xutuli
• Gogona

Kongali Bihu

                      Kongali Bihu (mid-October, also called Kati-Bihu) has a different flavour as there is less merriment and the atmosphere has a sense of constrain and solemnity. During this time of the year, the paddy in the fields are in the growing stage and the granaries of the farmers are almost empty. On this day, earthen lamps (saki) are lit at the foot of the household tulashi plant, the granary, the garden (bari) and the paddy fields. To protect the maturing paddy, cultivators whirl a piece of bamboo and recite rowa-khowa chants and spells to ward off pests and the evil eye. The Bodo people light lamps at the foot of the siju (Euphorbia) tree. This Bihu is also associated with the lighting of akaxi gonga or akaxbonti, lamps at the tip of a tall bamboo pole, to show the souls of the dead the way to heaven, a practice that is common to many communities in Asia and Europe.

Bhogali Bihu

                    Bhogali Bihu (mid-January, also called Magh Bihu) comes from the word Bhog that is eating and enjoyment. It is a harvest festival and marks the end of harvesting season. Since the granaries are full, there is a lot of feasting and eating during this period. On the eve of the day called uruka, i.e., the last day of pausa, menfolk, more particularly young men go to the field, preferably near a river, build a makeshift cottage called Bhelaghar with the hay of the harvest fields and the Meji, the most important thing for the night. During the night, they prepare food and there is community feasting everywhere.There is also exchange of sweets and greetings at this time. The entire night (called Uruka) is spent around a Meji with people singing bihu songs, beating Dhol, a typical kind of drums or playing games. Boys roam about in the dark stealing firewood and vegetables for fun. The next morning they take a bath and burn the main Meji. People gather around the Meji and throw Pithas (rice cakes) and betel nuts to it while burning it at the same time. They offer their prayers to the God of Fire and mark the end of the harvesting year. Thereafter they come back home carrying pieces of half burnt firewood for being thrown among fruit trees for favourable results. All the trees in the compound are tied to bamboo strips or paddy stems. Different types of sports like Buffalo-fight, Egg-fight, Cock-fight, Nightingale-fight etc. are held throughout the day. There are other conventional festivals observed by various ‘enthno-cultural’ groups. Me-dam-me-phi , Ali-aye-ligang , Porag, Garja, Hapsa Hatarnai, Kherai are few among them.

Me-Dam-Me-Phi
                  Me-dam-me-phi is celebrated by the Ahom people on 31st January every year in memory of the departed. It is the manifestation of the concept of ancestor worship that the Ahoms share with other peoples originating from the Tai-Shan stock. It is a festival to show respect to the departed ancestors and remember their contribution to society.

Etymology
                  Me-Dam-Me-Phi is one of the important festivals observed by the Ahoms from very ancient times. The word ‘Me’ means offerings. ‘Dam’ means ancestors and ‘Phi’ means gods. So the word ‘Me-Dam-Me-Phi’ means oblations offered to the dead and sacrifices to gods.

Origin
                  The Ahoms have their own tenets and faith. From the Ahom chronicles it can be known that when Lengdon, the God of heaven, sent two of his grandsons Khunlung and Khunlai to earth by a golden chain at that moment Gasingpha, the God of knowledge advised them to perform Umpha, Phuralong, Me-Dam-Me-Phi and Rikhan worships in different months of a year on different occasions. Since that day till now Me-Dam-Me-Phi has been observed by all the Ahoms.

History
                  There are several instances of performing this festival by the Ahom Kings. In the Ahom Buranji translated by G.C. Boruah it is mentioned that Suhungmung Dihingia Raja after defeating the Kacharis on the banks of the river Dhansiri in 1563 occupied the whole of the Dhansiri valley along with the northern portion of the Kolong river. As was the prevailing tradition king Suhungmung in order to commemorate this victory performed both the Me-Dam-Me-Phi and Rikhan festival in his capital desiring longevity of him and his subjects. Sukhampha alias Khura Raja realizing danger from the Koches made an alliance with the Koch king and after this successful alliance the king performed Me Dam Me Phi in his capital. King Pratap Singha thrice performed the Me Dam Me Phi festival. First it was performed in 1606 A.D. after the defeat of the Mughals at the confluence of the rivers Kapili and Mora Doiyang. Second time in 1615 A.D. after defeating the Mughals at Agia Bandha. He performed this festival for the third time in order to seek blessings from his ancestors after his defeat at the hands of the Mughals. King Chakradhwaj Singha performed Me Dam Me Phi because suspicion arose in his mind that during his reign the State faced many dangers including loss of many lives in the battles of Hajo and Kan’ at the hands of the Mughals because he did not offer worship to his deceased brother Surampha Bhagaraja. During the reign of Lakhi Singha when a wooden beam of the royal court suddenly collapsed, astrologers suggested the king, to perform Me Dam Me Phi and the king also did accordingly. King Chandrakanta Singha after the cremation of his brother Kamaleswar Singha at Charaideo under a Nuni tree performed the Sraddha by donating gold and silver to the Brahmins and even performed the Me Dam Me Phi. Thus it is seen that the Ahom kings performed Me Dam Me Phi on many occasions for averting any imminent danger, commemorating victory and desiring longevity of life.

Ceremonies
                   When Me-Dam-Me-Phi is observed publicly worship is offered in the name of three gods and they are Me Dam Me Phi, Dam Changphi and Grihadam. God Dam Chao Phi is associated with the belief of some natural powers like creation and destruction, water, lightning and storm, sun, moon, learning, diseases, earth, etc. Worship is done by Ahom priests Deodhai and Bailung by chanting Tai mantras and following the codes (Bidhan) given in the puthis (books) like Phralung and Banfi, etc. God Dam Chang Phi is the ancestor God from sixth to fourteenth generation of a family. Grihadam is also the ancestor God up to fourth generation of a family. Worship to Grihadam is offered in the month of Kati at the time of harvesting new Ahu rice, in the month of Aghon at the time of harvesting new Sali Dhan and at the time of three Bihus. On the day of Me-Dam Me Phi worship is offered only to Chaufi and Dam Chaufi because they are regarded as gods of heaven. Changphi and Grihadam are not worshipped on that day because they are regarded as earthly gods. The Ahoms believe that a man after his death remains as ‘Dam’(ancestor) only for a few days and soon he becomes ‘Phi’ (God). They also believe that the soul of a man which is immortal unites with the supreme soul, possesses the qualities of a spiritual being and always blesses the family. So every Ahom family in order to worship the dead establish a pillar on the opposite side of the kitchen (Barghar) which is called ‘Damkhuta’ where they worship the dead with various offerings like homemade wine, mah-prasad, rice with various items of meat and fish.

Significance
                      Me-Dam-Me-Phi not only reflects the manners and customs of the Ahoms but also helps to create unity, feeling of brotherhood and mutual understanding among the new generation.

Kherai Puja:
                     Before this festival the religious rites of the Garja are performed and consequently a date is fixed by the Bodo villagers for performing the Kherai Puja. In kherai Puja, a cactus called Bwrai Bathow surrounded by a small bamboo boundary is offered flowers, fruits and some grains. Different leaves like special grass, mango leaves and tulsi leaves dipped in a small pot with water is also kept nearby. The incense and Dhuna (coconut peel burnt in a small holder) keep on burning arousing nice fragrance. In this puja, Doudini, the oracle possessed by the Gods plays the main role. The dodini enchanted with mantras by the Deuri (priest) performs the Kherai dance in front of the cactus called Bwrai Bathow. She is accompanied by music played by men at a distance. The beat of the music has to follow the exact rhythm as taught by the Doudini beforehand. The spectators watch the Puja from outside the boundary made of bamboos.

Bathow Puja:
               Bathow Puja is an important religious festival of the Bodo-Kacharies of Assam, India. In this festival, the people worship a god known by different names like Gila Damra, Khuria Bwrai, Sri Brai (Shib bwrai), Bathow Bwrai etc. Some identify this god with the Hindu god Lord Shiva. The different forms of this festival are-Garja, Kherai and Marai. Among these festivals Kherai is the most significant. The history of Bãthou cult was highly chequered from the time of Naraka. A Vaisnava leader brought Naraka from Mithila and installed him as the king of Pragjyotisha subject to the condition that he would worship only kham-mai-khi (Kãmãkhyã), the yoni goddess as Mahãmãyã. He could not transfer his devotion to any other god or goddess except on penalty of his death, nor could he allow his subjects to do so. Therefore, the worship of Ludoi Fa stone and Shiva-Linga was prohibited in Pragjyotisha of Naraka, whereas this worship was openly done in the neighbouring country Shonitpur of king Bãna. The Vaisnava were Vedic followers and the Vedas condemn Shiva-Linga and Ludoi Fa stone as phallus. In reality 'linga' meant sign or symbol and not phallus. So, Shiva-Linga was the sign or symbol of Siva. Siva or Si-Brai was the mountain god and stone was used by the mountain people to symbolise not only Siva but any gods and goddess worshiped by them. The Bodos who were once mountain dwellers used and still use stones, pebbles to symbolise their deities. In fact, Ludoi Fa merely meant 'water-pouring (raining) god', ie. Rain-god and neither phallus, nor male-genital organ. But the Vedic followers condemn such symbols as phallus, and there were occasional reports of inconoclasm all over India. As a result, in Naraka's country the Kiratas and Saivites had to worship Si-Brai (Ludoi-Fã) and Sambhu (Shiva) very secretly.

Rongker:
                    Rongker is an annual springtime festival of merriment observed by the Karbis of Assam. It is observed in order to appease the local deities, associated with the welfare of the village and their harvest, and also to get rid of all evil happenings. The festival does not have any specific time although it is usually observed at the beginning of the New Year (month of April). Different villages may observe it at different time depending entirely on their convenience.
The rituals:

                   The festival lasts for three days. All the villagers contribute in cash and kinds and donation are also collected from the neighbouring villages in order to meet the expenses of the rituals. The festival is divided into four major parts –

1. 
   
   Sadi: In this process all the deities are invited
2. 
   
   Karkli: Here the deities are worshipped in two ways – Kibo-kaba, offering of meals to the deities and Koia-abida, offering of areca-nut and betel leaves to the deities. The entire man-folk take part in the festival. They gather in the particular site in the morning with all necessary items required to worship. The main task is performed by the Kurusar, the main priest. He is assisted by some other religious specialists, the village headman, an official of the Karbi Kingdom, the youth leader of the village and a few elderly villagers well versed in worshipping the deiteis. It is not mandatory to take bath before performing the rituals but they must be purified by sprinkling water with the leaves of the sacred basil. All the sacrifices are made in the names of the deities except for the deity Bamun, who is vegeterian. Then the thek-kere, the religious specialists predicts the future of the village at the heart and intestine of the sacrificed animals. At the end of the rituals a feast is organised.
3. 
   
   Rongphu-Rongling-Kangthin: It is also called the Ajo-Rongker and performed at the night of the second day. In this part, the evil spirits are driven out from the lower to the upper part of the village by way of dancing. A alter is made at the end of the village road and a chicken is sacrificed in the name of Ajo-Angtarpi.
4. 
   
   Langhe Rongker: This is the concluding part of the festival observed at the third day of the festival. It is performed near a ghat by making an alter and sacrificing a cock in the name of Arnam-teke, he tiger god, to prevent tigers from attacking.

Deities worshipped:

                   During this festival total 12 deities are worshipped. They are namely^.

1. 
   
   Longri sarpo: The presiding as well as the village-god of the host village. This deity is responsible for the welfare of the Longri (Kingdom or jurisdiction).
2. 
   
   Hemphoo: The supreme household god of the Karbis equivalent to the Vishnu of Hindu mythology.
3. 
   
   Mukrang: The second household god, next to the Hemphoo, equivalent to the Mahadeva of Hindu mythology.
4. 
   
   Rosingja: The household goddess who enjoys the position next to Hemphoo Mukrang in the hierarchy.
5. 
   
   Bamun: The local vegetarian deity.
6. 
   
   Ningding Sarpo: The god of Patience.
7. 
   
   Rit-Anglong: The deity in-charge of agriculture
8. 
   
   Than: The local deity, living in jungle, who is responsible for protecting the crops and people from wild animals and insects etc.
9. 
   
   Murti: The headless malevolent spirit who lives in a hole under the earth.
10. 
    
    Arlock: The deity that lives in a land standing between two hills.
11. 
    
    Kuthepi: The deity responsible for looking over kuthepi territory.
12. 
    
    Theng: The deity living in the jungle who cures deases like flue, body ache, head ache, tooth-ache and other physical pains.

Taboo observed

                   During this festival some taboos are observed. They include:

• Husking is prohibited
• The female folk is not allowed to participate in the festival
• None is allowed for any type of agricultural activities
• No villager is allowed to leave the village.

Ali Aye Ligang:
                    

                     The literary meaning of ALI AYE LIGANG stand for first sowing of roots and fruits in which ‘ALI’ stands for seeds. ‘AYE’ for Fruits in which ‘LIGANG’ for sowing. Lives started in the Mising people from time immemorial as agriculturist. Roots and fruits were their staple food of livelihood in the hills. Because of influence of Aryan culture in the plains their ways of living have been changing gradually and rice cultivation has become a part of their agricultural production. Whether jhuming or ploughing was employed. ‘AHU’ paddy was their principal product and such the oncoming of the ‘AHU’ and ‘BAU’ season is marked with the celebration of “ALI AYE LIGANG”. It marks the beginning of agricultural cultivation. Prayer, dance and feast are integral parts of festival. In the past, the date of celebration of ‘LIGANG’ was not a fixed one. Variation being depended on the convenience of the locality, their social structure and geographical situation as well. Because of the spread of education and touch with the modern civilization, the feeling of unity has come to the mind of Mising people. In 1956, an unanimous decision to celebrate the LIGANG festival was taken by Mising “NANE KCBANG” (Biggest Socio-Cultural and Economic organization). In the KCBANG the date to celebrate the festival was decided to be on the first Wednesday of the month of phagun. Which is considered an auspicious day. The Mising people believe the day as LAKSHMI day. And on that day the head of the family marks the sowing of seeds in their respective fields. The head man of each family goes to the field with a handful of seeds, a YOKPA, APONG, PURANG, TAKE, PEERO, SI-PAG, SI-PAG ONNO preferably carrying in a VGVN (cone shaped structure made of bamboo etc.). using YOKPA he clean a small patch of the land in the eastern part of the field and is decorated with the PEERO and SI-PAG ONNO in a square of a circular patterns (size about 2feet x 3feet). The APONG, PURANG, TAKE and SI-PAG are placed at appropriate places within the decorated area then the seeds are sown over the area and chant the forefathers ‘SEDI MELO, KARSING-KARTAG, DO:NYI-PO:LO etc. to bear witness the sowing seeds into the womb of mother earth for abundant crops, good harvest etc. After the chanting and the sowing of the seeds, they promise to share the harvest amongst the benefactors and the beggars. In this way- LIGANG starts and headman returns home. This is completed usually in the forenoon. In the daytime, the women get busy preparing APONG and PURANG. Both are essential items of LIGANG. The two varieties of APONG existing in the community are prepared (NOGIN and PO:RO) in sufficient quantities for guest and visitors. PURANG is the special inevitable item of LIGANG. The elders and visitors irrespective of age, sex and social status are served with PURANG, APONG and delicious curry prepared usually with fish. In this way feasting continues throughout the village. In the evening hours the head of the family again pray their forefathers including ‘KOJE YANGO (Goddess of fertility). After the feasting-merry making starts in the form of GUMRAG SO:MAN. GUMRAG SO:MAN is a combination of dance and beating of drums and cymbals. The Mising people believe that Lakshmi will satisfy and bless for good harvest if GUMRAG SO:MAN is performed on the LIGANG day. Hence it is basically an appeasing dance of the Goddess of fertility. People of the village young and old irrespective of sex can take part in the PAKSONG MOMAN (Dance Song). Usually the youth take the lead and dance follows the rhythmical tunes of the drums and cymbals. But the most characteristic feature of the GUMRAG in LIGANG is the wearing of woven dresses of the participating youths reflecting their culture self image and identity. The menfolk wear GONRO UGON, MIBU GALUK and DUMER and the womenfolk wear EGE, RIBI GASENG, GERO SEGREG etc. then the womenfolk with their fine movements enact paddy transplanting and harvesting in dance of the expressive drum beats by the young men. GUMRAG dance is accompanied by appropriate songs also. GUMRAG SO:MAN usually last the whole night. In some village house to house dance is replaced by single GUMRAG SO:MAN collectively by the village people. The villagers observe a period of abstinence from field works ranging fron one to three days and breaks it known a ‘YODLEN KUNAM’ by instituting a brief function calling upon the Forefathers. This marks the ending of ALI AYE LIGANG and the people start devoting their time in the field works of cultivation. The celebration of ALI AYE LIGANG not only reflect the socio-cultural identity of the Mising people, but also has a definite role in the cultural convergence with the greater Assamese society. At present, the educated Mising people living in cities and towns, use to celebrate the festival in town halls, auditoriums etc. inviting GUMRAG parties from different localities. With a great deal of enthusiasm. It signifies their feeling to focus other people enabling to understand the significance and importance of ALI AYE LIGANG.(Courtesy: http://misingonline.blogspot.com)