Rongali Bihu and fond memories!

Rongali Bihu (Assamese New Year) is a festival of merry-making- dancing, singing and new clothes. This is one reason why this still continues to be one of my most favorite festivals. Another reason for such attachment with Rongali Bihu is because it used to come after the CBSE annual examination and it kept you waiting and counting days as the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have spent many Bihu’s outside home but have always managed to have some Bihu plans with my Assamese friends. I have missed out on Kati and Bhogali Bihu celebrations a few times but never on this one.  This is for the first time that we are in a lock-down and fond memories of bygone days are rushing in.

In Assam, days before the Bihu festival you start hearing the Cuccoo bird sing and the flowering of the Kopou, an Assamese orchid. Streets are completely jam-packed on days leading to the Bihu as not only you need new clothes for yourself but you also gift new clothes to your near and dear ones. The famous Assamese Bihu aan or Gamusa  is also exchanged as a mark of respect. However, now as I recollect the exchange of Gamusas  I realize that it is mostly given to men and boys- I wonder why.

There are many Bihu tolis or stages set across the state for the Bihu celebrations and one of the major highlight on the days leading up to Bihu is to figure out and know which celebrity is performing where and when. Thanks to my house being right next to one of the Bihu stages, we were almost part of all the practice Bihu sessions every evening that start almost around the end of March (sometimes overlapping with the CBSE Annual examination time). One common discussion in the neighborhood would be how the practice has been going on for really late into the night and people are getting disturbed- it is funny how such disturbing elements could also become fond memories today.

In Guwahati the entire city will be lit up, there will be a common discussion on what Bihu plans. Some friends will be part of organizing, some will be performing and you will make your plan in a way that you see each of them for few minutes. Then there will be Bihu troops who would come home-to-home to ensure almost every family in the state has moved a little to the Bihu songs. There will be many busses with Bihu dancers across the city who will be moving from one stage to the other. There are good financial rewards for best performance troops, female dancer and many other awards and many troops practice for this season throughout the year.

Bihu mornings used to be very busy. Ma would insist on rubbing mah (lentils) and halodhi ( turmeric) on your body while bathing and turning your skin and face almost yellow. She will also insist on having sira (flattened rice) and doi (curd) for breakfast. To be honest, I don’t miss the breakfast much as that was not one of my favorites.  

Then we will wear the first new dress of Bihu which will be a day dress meant to get dirty during the day. We used to quickly run to our Borta (Dad’s elder brother) and Borma (Dad’s eldest sis in law) touch their feet and have some home-made pithas (Assamese sweets).

From almost 9AM there will be numerous competitions for children throughout the day. I remember participating in Art competitions, running races, I avoided the singing and dancing ones (for obvious reasons) but I remember winning the Assamese Aabriti (poetry recitation) competition. That was special because that was my first win in any competition and also I learnt the Assamese poem and the recitation from my paternal grand-mother. However, my sister who is a trained Braratnatyam dancer would be participating and winning the dance competitions and I had to be there as well. What a busy day!

Ma would insist to rest for some time post lunch because we have to be up longer than usual in the evening but it was just not possible to sleep with so much excitement all around. All throughout some or the other speaker would be blasting the sassy Assamese latest Bihu numbers.

 Afternoons and evenings were when we visited our grand-mothers and met all our relatives and cousins.  The excitement to receive gifts, show off our new dress and discuss what our cousins got and what they will wear the next day took so much time away. Then there will be news that Bhupen Hazarika will be performing at Chandmari field (could be anywhere but that Chandmari field performance is somehow fresh in my head). Excitement is such an infectious thing that even before loving or knowing Bhupen Hazarika’s songs the excitement in the parents and the planning rubs onto you.

If the performance is at 9, that meant he will perform not before 10:30 or 11pm and that meant that we would have our dinner by 8pm and get into the car. The entire city will be jam-packed and it will take so many hours to reach that show. Meanwhile, you will cross many other celebrations on the way and enjoy the city lights, fast food and music.

The question will be if you should go over the Chandmari fly-over bridge or under it. You will go under it only if you can get a seat quite close to the stage (if some friend or relative is already there and has a place to stand with a view) otherwise the experience of sitting in that Chandmari fly-over bridge and enjoy Bhupen Hanzarika perform must be fresh in many of our minds as almost everyone in the city will be there to watch him perform.