INDIAN MUSIC (FOLK MUSIC) SERIES

BIHU GEET OF ASSAM 

BIHU denotes a set of three different cultural festivals of Assam and celebrated by the Assamese Diaspora around the world. 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. One includes the Assamese New Year celebrated in April. 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. 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 Bihufestival is the spring festival "BohagBihu" or RongaliBihu celebrated in the middle of April. This is also the beginning of the agricultural season.Bihu is celebrated by the all parts of Assam and all cast and religion.Directly we can say that Bihu is secular festival which brings the humanity,peace and brotherhood among the various cast and religion.

 

RONGALI BIHU     :-RongaliBihu (mid-April, also called BohagBihu), the most popular Bihu celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year (around April 14-15) and the coming of spring. 

KONGALI BIHU   :-KongaliBihu (mid-October, also called Kati-Bihu) has a different flavor as there is less merriment and the atmosphere has a sense of constrain and solemnity. During this time of the year, the paddies 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 tulsi 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.

 BHOGALI BIHU:-BhogaliBihu (mid-January, also called MaghBihu) 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.