April 13, 2022: “Oti koi senehor mugare mohura,  tatu koi senehor maku,

                            O tatu koi senehor Bohagor Bihuti oi nepati kanekoi thaku”

Celebrated in mid-April (14-15th April), Rongali Bihu also known as Bohag (as it is celebrated in the Assamese month of Bohag or Baisakh) Bihu marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year as per the Hindu calendar. Rongali or Bohag Bihu is the most important of the three Bihus ( Rongali, Magh or Bhogali and Kati or Kongali Bihu) of Assam.

Rongali Bihu is the time when every Assamese wears new clothes, sings and dances. It is the time to be happy and make merry.

Starting from a toddler girl to an old lady with wrinkles and false teeth or no teeth, everyone dresses up in a pair of mekhela sador made of cotton or Assam silks – Paat and Muga. Muga mekhela sador with traditional red motifs or a mix of red, green, yellow motifs with red or matching blouse is most commonly worn by the women folk during Rongali Bihu. The  Rongali Bihu look is incomplete unless the girls add colour to their hands and finger nails by applying jetuka (mehendi) and the hair is adorned with a strand of Kopou (orchid) flower. Women and young girls dressed in colourful mekhela sador (two-piece attire) adds colour to the already alive and happy environment of Assam.

Bihu tolis (open fields where stage is set up for Bihu song and dance and other cultural programmes) are a common thing in every city, town and village of Assam during Rongali Bihu. Hundreds and thousands throng these Bihu tolis and cultural programmes, performances by leading artistes go on till late at night, sometimes ending at 4 or 5 AM next morning.

Rongali Bihu is usually celebrated for 7 days. In some areas of Assam cultural events and celebrations go on for 15 days or a month.

The first day of Rongali Bihu (Apr 14) is observed as Goru (Cow) Bihu. On this day cattle, mainly cows, bulls, and buffaloes which most rural Assamese households have are pampered. They are worshipped, bathed and fed specially prepared food and specific vegetables. The reason behind dedicating one day to the cattle of the household simply signifies the Assamese people’s love and respect for animals and nature. Since these animals play a significant role in the daily lives of the people in rural areas, they are treated with extra care on this particular day.

The cattle are bathed with a mix of "maah-halodhi" (black gram and turmeric paste), and softly whipped with "dighloti" (litsea salicifolia, a plant with longleaf), "makhioti" (flemingia strobilifera), "tonglati" (a plant with flower-like soft plastic butter-fly) to shoo away the flies. They are fed "lau" and "bengena" (bottle gourd and brinjal). While doing this, people sing the passage: "Dighloti dighol paat, maakhi marru jaat jaat, lau khaa bengena khaa, bosore bosore barhi jaa, maare xoru baapere xoru toi hobi bor bor goru." It is translated as "With our herbs and the leaves of dighloti, we drive away the flies that disturb you. We hope that you accept our offering of brinjals and gourds, and continue to grow every year, and may you outgrow your parents."

One important tradition and belief of Goru Bihu is that, youngsters should seek blessings from the elders on this day by touching their feet. The belief is that if this is not done, the youngster will be reborn as a pig!

The second day is Manuh (People) Bihu. On this day youngsters seek blessings from the elders and the elders gift the young ones new clothes and other gifts. This is the day when gifts are exchanged though exchange of gifts happen throughout the month. Wearing new clothes is an important part of the Rongali Bihu celebrations.

The cultural programmes begin from this day.

People opt for traditional breakfast comprising of Sira (flattened rice), Doi (curd), cream, jaggery, Bora Saul (sticky rice), or Kumol Saul (a unique type of rice from Assam). Some people prefer Akhoi or Muri (puffed rice) and Hurum (type of puffed rice). Assamese specialties, Pitha (made of rice flour with a filling of grated coconut and sugar or jaggery or roasted black sesame and sugar or jaggery) - Tilpitha, Ghilapitha, Tekeli Mukhot Diya pitha, Chunga pitha (made in hollow bamboo) and a range of Larus (laddoos) -- Narikol Laru (grated coconut laru), Tilor Laru (black sesame laru), Sujir Laru (semolina laru) are staples during Rongali (Bohag) Bihu. These form an intrinsic part of the Bihu platter even during Bhogali or Magh Bihu celebrated in mid-January, another important Bihu of the Assamese people.

Along with the singing and dancing, food is an important part of the Rongali Bihu festivities. A variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes - duck meat cooked with white gourd, mutton, chicken, pork, and fish delicacies, the most an important one being masor tenga or a sour fish curry made of tomato and lemon juice or thekera tenga forms part of the Bihu lunch and dinner. Xaat saak or a mix of seven variety of saag (leafy vegetable) is a must-have during Rongali (Bohag) Bihu. There is a tradition of having "Poita Bhat" or "Panta Bhat" (a rice-based dish prepared by soaking rice overnight) with Doi or with mustard oil and salt. The tradition of having poita bhat has been followed over the years as people believe that it makes them cool and calm in their tough times.

The third day is celebrated as Kutum (relative) Bihu. On this day families visit each other and exchange gifts and pleasantries and feasting is a part of the visits. Though there is one particular day dedicated to family, friends and relatives, exchange of gifts and visiting and greeting one another goes on throughout the first 7-15 days of Bohag.

Bihu dance and songs are an important part of the Rongali Bihu celebrations. Bihu is performed during Magh or Bhogali Bihu too. But Husori is something unique and is performed only during Rongali Bihu. Originally, Husori was performed by groups of men and was strictly male-dominated but now there are female Husori troupes too. These Husori groups visit households and they sing Husori. After that, they bless the household. This is an important part of the Assamese culture and tradition. They are offered some cash, gamocha, and tamul-paan (betel nut and leaves) on a bota or xorai (a plate on a stand made of bell-metal) – this is the traditional Assamese way of offering things to people. Other items can also be offered. The Husori represents a band that includes numbers of "Nasoni" (female dancer) and "Bihuwa" (male dancers). They dance to the tune of Bihu songs, sometimes these are sermons too. Instruments like Dhol, Pepa (made of buffalo horn), Bahi (flute), Gogona (a type of jaw harp made of bamboo), Taal (cymbal). Sometimes Xutuli, Khol, and Nagada are also used. The main male character of the Husori group is usually an elderly man who carries an umbrella and uses it as his walking stick as he sings and dances and blesses everyone. “Deutar podulit, gundhaise maloti. keteki moley moloi oi gobindoi ram” is one of the most popular Husori.