The Bihus had been celebrated in Assam
since the ancient times. Each Bihu meets with a special phase in the farming
calendar. The most important and colorful of the three Bihus is the Bahag Bihu or Rongali Bihu. This marked the beginning of the agricultural season.
Next is the Kati Bihu and last one
is the Magh Bihu. Astronomically the
Bahag Bihu is associated with the
vernal equinox, the Kati Bihu with
the autumn equinox and Magh in the
winter solstice. The first is celebrated at the time of preparing the field, the second at the stage when the young paddy seedlings are transplanted
and third when the harvest has been
gathered.
Rongali or Bahag Bihu ( বৈশাখ )
 |
| Bahag Bihu |
The Bahag Bihu is the most colorful and
gay. It begins usually on the last day of Chaitra,
although different communities begin it on different days of the week.
Sometimes it lasts for a month, at others for four to five days. Sometimes it lasts for a
month, at others for four to five days happens in the month of April.
It is divided
into four phrases each lasting a day or a few days.
 |
| Goru Bihu |
The first
phase is dedicated to cattle and is called the Goru Bihu. Cows and other cattle are besmeared with mustard oil and
taken to the nearest watershed or rivers or ponds accompaniment of songs and
music. The people also take the bath in the river to receive the cattle with
great ceremony in the evenings. After feeding the cattle with salted rice-cakes
there is festivity, including music and dance. On this day is performed the Go-Lakshmi Puja.
 |
| Manuh Bihu |
The second
phase is dedicated to human beings, and is called Manushya or Manuh Bihu. After ceremonious bath, new clothes are
worn, presents are exchanged between families, relatives and friends. On this
day, there is a puja to Mahadeva for
protection and well being. During this phase are also arranged many Husari parties of group singing and
dancing. The Husari parties visits homes and perform Bihu dances in the open.
The first part of the dance is consisting of a kirtan known as Husari
kirtan accompanied by slow body movements. One man sings the refrain and
the others repeat it. The participants dance in a circle; as is usual, the
tempo is slow and gradually it increases and ends in fast tempo. The musical
accompaniment is the dhol, taal, and toka. Besides the Husari singing and
dancing, there are other Bihus which are held under the sheds of giant trees.
Here young men and women both take part and dance to the lilting music of the
Bihu songs. Musical accompaniment is more elaborate in these Bihu dances:
besides the dhol, taal and toka, there is also pepa and gogona. The vocal music
is consists of short couplets love which
are constantly repeated. The dance
begins into circle and soon breaks into parallel lines. The drummer is the
natural leader; he often utters the bols first and then plays them on the drum
and also sometimes dancing with the fantastic skills with his drum.
The third
phase is dedicated to the gods and is called 'Gosani Bihu'. On this day prayers and performance of music and dance
is held at Namghar.
Finally the fourth or last phase is called the 'Bihu Urva' or 'Bihu Thowa'. This is performed ceremoniously at a
distant place from the village, in a forest or lonely paddy field. All the
articles are used in this festival are left at this place: this marks the
formal end of the festivities.
One trends to get a little forgetful in
the atmosphere, songs seen to spring to one’s lips, and if one is young the
heart flutters a little, perhaps in yearning. One sings:
‘Aikai cenehar mugare muhara
Atikai cenehar mako
Tatokai cenehor bohagar bihuti
Nepati kenekai thako?’
