‘Bhogali Bihu’ Celebrations are near to be started in Assam

Morigaon: The harvest is over, the grain is full and Assam is ready to celebrate ‘Bhogali’ or ‘Magh Bihu’ – the festival of feasts and the season of plenty.
Men, children and women, in particular, are busy in community fields in the rest of the state as well as central Assam’s Morigaon district, in preparation for the three-day festival that begins on Saturday evening.
It begins with a feast called ‘Uruka’, as communities cook and eat together to celebrate their harvest.

A highlight of the festivals are the painstakingly crafted ‘bhelaghars’ (grass and bamboo structures) depicting themes ranging from human-elephant conflicts, historical monuments and social issues.

It is in and around these bhilaghars that community feasts are held and on the following day, Bhogli Bihu, they are burnt with ‘majis’ (cylindrical structures), also made of grass and bamboo. It is made. A ritual to appease the god of fire.
Most of the women in the 506 villages of the district have enthusiastically come forward to construct ‘Bhelagharas’.

“Every year, the youth come together to build grass structures for the Bihu. But this year, the women decided to build a ‘Bhelaghar’ in their neighborhood where we can organize a community feast,” Duimari Kopili Self Bina Konwar of the help group told PTI.
Women affiliated to several SHGs in these villages are engaged in preparing the sweets offered during the festival, including a variety of ‘patha’ (rice cakes made of jaggery).

“We make varieties of pithas such as til pithas, ‘narikol pithas, ghila pithas, tekeli pithas and delicious,” said Sabitiri Deka.
‘pithas’ and ‘lado’ (laddoos) are served to our guests and “we also take them to ‘Bhogali Melas’ (fairs), which precede the festival in nearby towns and even in Guwahati. are held,” said Monika Bordoloi, a resident of Bhurabandha village.

“The earnings from these fairs are good, and we are looking forward to participating as people in urban areas like our dishes,” he added.