Assam
Festivals
Assam,
being a land of composite
culture reflects a chain
of festivals of different
tribes throughout the
year. It's as if people
cross the threshold
to come together with
festive abandon and
momentarily forget their
tough lives.
The
perfect fusion of heritage
of tribes and subtribes
has made Assam the home
of the most colorful
festivals. The major
festival of Assam is
Bihu in three forms,
viz.Bohag Bihu or Rongali
Bihu in April, Magh
Bihu or Bhogali Bihu
in January and Kati
Bihu or Kongali Bihu
in October/ November.
Rongali
Bihu is celebrated by
most of the races that
inhabit there in their
own colors and names.
Thus parallels of Bihu
among the races are
Baisagu for Bodo Kacharis,
Baikhu for Rabhas, Ali-
Ai -Ligang for Misings,
Bohhaggio Bishu for
Deoris. Contemporaries
of Magh Bihu are Nara-siga
Bihu of Miring, Pushy
Par or Tushu Puja of
tea tribe of Assam.
Other community festivals
of Assam are Rongker
of Karbis, Rajini Gabra
and Harni Gabra of Dimasa
tribe.
Festivals
in AssamThe simplicity
of Assamese people is
reflected in their celebration.
Festivals take place
in a communal way, usually
in a Namghar or in open
space. Bamboo sticks
and banana leaves are
profusely used and rather
than offering cooked
food, nutritious food
such as sprouted grams
and fruits are offered
during worship.
Six
festivals are organised
by the Department of
Tourism, Govt. of Assam,
every year to encourage
tourists to visit Assam.
They are given below:
|
1 |
Majuli
Festival |
2 |
Elephant Festival |
3 |
Brahmaputra
Beach Festival |
4 |
Dehing Patkai
Festival |
5 |
Tea Festival |
6 |
Rongali Utsav |
|
Majuli
Festival
There
will be a lot of scopes
to fit yourself as a
part of this festival
. Special events are
being organized during
the festivals days round
the clock. Cultural
programmes will continue
with the participation
of various traditional
and classical cultural
troupes of Assam and
troupes from rest of
the country, in addition
to rich cultural heritage
of Majuli.
Exhibition
will also be there with
the demostration of
various Assamese products
specially designed and
prepared by experts
artistes highlighting
traditional glory of
Majuli too.
Assamese
and tribal dishes of
Majuli will also be
made available, and
food festival will also
be organized during
this time.
The
festival will include
a number of attractive
allied activities covering
various aspects. Leading
exponents from wide
spectrum of activities
are being approached
to make the occasion
a remarkable one. Seminars
are also being organized
on different topics.
Therefore
the festival will definitely
make you reach a desired
destination for adventure
and spiritual tourism |
Elephant
Festival
For
conservation and protection
of Asiatic elephant
a festival is organized
every year at Kaziranga
National Park jointly
by the Forest Department
and Tourism Department,
Govt. of Assam. The
festival includes many
activities by domestic
elephants and various
cultural programmes. |
Brahmaputra
Beach Festival
Coinciding
with Magh Bihu, the
Assamese harvest festival,
this event offers you
a scintillating outdoor
experience. Held on
the beautiful, white
riverine beaches of
the river Brahmaputra,
it is a perfect blend
of traditional contests
like elephant race,
kite flying and modern
adventure sports like
wind surfing, rafting,
canoeing, kayaking,
para-dropping, hot air
ballooning, beach volleyball
and beach cricket. |
Dehing
Patkai Festival
This
festival in eastern
Assam derives its name
from the lofty Patkai
range and the playful
Dehing river. It is
a heady cocktail of
ethnic fairs, golfing,
tea heritage tours,
adventures sports, wildlife
excursion and down-mwmory-lane
trips to World War II
cemeteries and the Stilwell
Road, once the passage
to the golden land of
Myanmar. It is organized
in the month of January
every year. |
Tea
Festival
Celebrated
every year in Jorhat,
this festival is all
about tea, music and
merriment. A world of
festivity with traditional
hospitality, jungle
safaris, tea garden
visits, golf, local
cuisine, rafting in
turbulent rivers, angling,
shopping and cultural
extravaganza. A harmonious
blend of business and
pleasure. Come and meet
the warm hearted people
of Assam and savour
Assam's beauty and cultural
diversity. |
Rongali
Utsav
Come
April, and for the numerous
communities, tribes
and sub-tribes inhabiting
the banks of the mighty
Brahmaputra it's time
to welcome the onset
of the agricultural
season, a celebration
of the vibrant springtime
fertility cult. The
Rongali Utsav festival
is celebrated annually
at Srimanta Sankardeva
Kalakshetra, Guwahati
.Bihu is the most important
festival of Assam. It
is celebrated with joy
and abundance by all
Assamese people irrespective
of caste, creed, religion,
faith and belief. Bihu
can be broadly divided
into three categories:
Bohag Bihu which augurs
the wish for a good
harvest because this
is the time when farmers
start sowing, Kaati
Bihu which is observed
to mark the cutting
and binding of grains
and Magh Bihu which
marks the season of
harvesting of grains.
Assam,
the melting pot of numerous
colourful tribes comes
alive to the beating
of the Dhol (drums)
and the melody of the
Pepa (flute). Young
and old alike come out
in their traditional
attire of muga and pat
(both unique varieties
of Assamese silk) to
sing the song of eternal
youth. Invariably the
Bihu songs are an eulogy
of the exquisite beauty
of one's love, the personification
of Mother Nature.
It
is one of those festivals
which all the major
tribes in the state
celebrate, albeit with
different names. While
the Bodos celebrate
Baisagu, the Rabhas
celebrate Baikho. The
Missings, Deuris and
Morans on the other
hand call the festival
Bihu Utsav. Call it
by whatever name, one
thing is sure it's time
for merriment, time
to sing and dance. Time
to visit Assam. To facilitate
this, to introduce people
from around the globe
to this unique celebration
of the joys of nature,
the Tourism Department,
Govt. of Assam organises
the RONGALI UTSAV every
year in Srimanta Sankardeva
Kalakshetra, Guwahati,
Assam.
Come
and enjoy the spirit
of spring in Assam-the
nature's treasure. We
are here to welcome
you.
Tribal
groups like the Mishings,
the Deoris, and the
Morans celebrate "Bihu"
with dances of their
own distinctive style.
In the more recent times
a fairly large scale
migration of people
from other parts of
India like the Santhals,
Gonds, Mundas etc. from
Bihar, Orissa and Madhya
Pradesh, brought as
indentured laboures
for tea gardens have
also carried with them
their own distinct cultural
heritage which has blossomed
forth in exotic festivals
like Tussu Puja, Sarak
Puja, Karam Puja and
captivating dances like
the Jhumur.
|
Ambubachi
Mela
It
iIs the most important
festival of Kamakhya
temple of Guwahati and
is held every year during
monsoon (mid-June).
It is a ritual of austerities
celebrated with 'Tantric
rites'. It is a common
belief that the reigning
diety, 'Kamakhya' ,
'The Mother Shakti'
goes through her annual
cycle of menstruation
during this period.
During
Ambubashi the doors
of the temple remain
closed for three days.
It is believed that
the earth becomes impure
for three days. During
this time no farming
work is undertaken.
Daily worship and other
religious performances
are suspended during
this period. After three
days, the temple doors
are reopened after the
Goddess is bathed and
other rituals performed.
It is believed that
the mother earth regains
her purity now. This
is purely a ritual of
Tantric cult.
Ambubachi
mela is held at the
Kamakhya temple, after
being closed for the
afore-mentioned three
days. On the fourth
day only the devotees
are allowed to enter
inside the temple for
worship. Thousands of
devotees from all over
India visit this mela.
|
Me-Dum-Me-Phi
The
most important Ahom
festival which deserves
mention is the Me-Dum-Me-Phi,
i.e., the ancestor worship
festival which is observed
by the whole Ahom community.
This is performed annually
on the 31st of January
at some common venue.
This in a way helps
to develop social contacts
and community feelings
among the Ahoms. Colourful
processions with devotees
in traditional finery
are also taken out on
the occasion. |
Jonbeel
Mela
This
spectacular fair(mela)
is held every year during
winter at Jonbeel of
Jagiroad, a lesser known
township only 32 kms
from Guwahati. A few
days before the mela,
tribes like the Tiwas,
Karbis, Khasis, Jaintias
from the Meghalaya hills
come down with their
various products for
this mela. On the occasion
of the 'mela' a big
bazar is held here where
these tribes exchange
thier products with
local people in barter
system which is very
rare in a civilized
modern society.
Before the 'mela' they
perform fire worship
or agni puja for the
well being of mankind.
It is to be noted that
during this mela the
'govaraja' or the king
of the Tiwa trbe along
with his courtiers visit
this mela and collect
taxes from his subjects.
The significant point
of this mela is its
theme of harmony and
brotherhood amongst
various tribes and communities.
During the 'mela' these
communities perform
their traditional dances
and music to celebrate
the mela in a befitting
manner. |
Baishagu
Famous
for its myriad colours
and merriment, 'Baishagu'
is generally celebrated
by the Bodo Kacharis
during mid April. It
is the most cherished
festival of the Bodo
tribe. The Bodos also
celebrate it as a springtime
festival at the advent
of the new year.
The
first day begins with
worship of the cow.
The next day which synchronises
with the first day of
the month of 'Bohag'
of the Assamese almanac,
the actual merriment
begins with the young
people of each household
reverentialy bowing
down to their parents
and elders. The supreme
deity 'Bathou' or Lord
Shiva is worshipped
during the festival
by offering chicken
and rice beer
In
the Baishagu dance there
is no age or sex bar,
all are welcome to join
in. The traditional
musical instruments
that are used in this
dance festival are 'Khum'
(drum), 'Jotha' (Manjari),
'Khawbang' (Taal), 'Gogona'
(Mouth-organ) and 'Siphung'
(Flute) etc. It is also
customary at the time
of closure of the Baishagu
festival to offer community
prayers at a particular
place called 'Garjasali'.
|
Rajini
Gabra & Harni Gabra
The
annual festival of the
colourful Dimasa tribe.
It is exclusively a
socio-religious festival
which is generally observed
before starting a new
cultivation. Rajini
Gabra is celebrated
during day time. The
'Kunang' or the village
headman propitiates
the family deity by
closing the village
gate on the worship
date. On the same night
in a function called
'Harni Gabra', the presiding
deity is worshipped
for the protection and
welfare of the people.
It
is very interesting
to note that during
the Rajini Gabra and
Hami Gabra festival
if any outsider enters
the village inspite
off seeing the closed
gate, the entire function
is considered to be
spoilt. The intruders
then have to bear the
total cost for holding
the festival anew.
|
Rongker
and Chomangkan
Rongker and Chomangkan
are the two most important
festivals of the Karbis,
an indeginous tribe
of Karbi Anglong.
Rongker
is basically a springtime
festival of merriment
and is performed at
the beginning of the
New year, i.e. April.
To propitiate different
gods and goddesses for
the well being of the
entire village, the
elderly male folk organise
Rongker so that people
can be free from diseases
and natural calamities
for the entire year.
They pray for a good
harvest too. The women
are not allowed to enter
the worship arena during
this festival.
On
the other hand, Chomangkan
is the festival dedicated
to the dead. It is primarily
a death ceremony. There
is no particular time
for holding this funeral
ceremony. It depends
upon the convenience
of the locality. This
festival is a must for
every Karbi. It is a
nonstop four days and
four nights celebration.
|
Ali-Ai-Ligang
Ali-Ai-Ligang,
the spring festival
of the Mishing Tribe
is the most colourful
festival held every
year on the first Wednesday
(Ligange lange) of the
month of 'Ginmur Polo'
(February-March). 'Ali'
means root, seed; 'Ai'
means fruit and 'Ligang'
means sow. That is why
'ceremonial' sowing
of paddy starts on this
day. A dance is performed
by the young boys and
girls, characterized
by brisk stepping, flinging
and flapping of hands
and swaying of hips
reflecting youthful
passion, reproductive
urge and joie-de-vivre.
"Poro
Aapong" or rice
beer, Pork and dried
fish is essential for
the feast. The festival
continues for five days
and during this festival
certain taboos with
respect to the cutting
of trees, fishing, ploughing,
burning jungles etc.
are strictly observed.
|
Baikho
There
is another colourful
tribe in Assam, known
as Rabhas. Although
the Rabha community
does not have any national
festival of their own,
the different groups
celebrate their own
festivals. The 'Baikho'
or the Springtime festival
is only celebrated to
propitiate the goddess
of wealth 'Baikho'.
But unfortunately the
pomp and grandeur of
Baikho are not to be
seen nowadays in the
villages.
|
Dosa
Thoi! Long Nai
This
is a very important
religious dance performed
at the 'Bathou Puja'
or worshipping of God-Shiva.
In this dance the priestess
called Deodini dances
with a bowl of blood
of a sacrificed fowl
on her head. It is believed
that while the Deodini
performs this dance
in a trance, Lord Bathou
(Shiva) will snatch
away the bowl and drink
the blood. |
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In Assam
- The cultural land of india
lot of festivals are here
like Bihu, baikho and elephant
festivals |
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Please
complete all details
of your enquiry
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