Guwahati: The Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu festivities gripped the entire Assam. Although the Assamese calendar month of Magh starts on Wednesday, the Magh Bihu starts from the last day of the Assamese calendar month of 'Puh'.
The celebration starts from the previous day which is called 'Uruka' or the day of grand feast, when people celebrate with family and friends with traditional recipes. The Magh Bihu starts on Tuesday when people from different parts of the state set fire to Mejis (bonfires made of bamboo poles and straw in open fields) and seek blessings 'Agni', the fire god. Meji burning is a sacred ceremony and normally the family elders consign it to flames after a bath.
Youths make Bhelaghar (makeshift thatched houses made with straw and bamboo) on open fields near the Meji and enjoy the Uruka (the grand feast) on Monday night. The Bhelaghars are also set on fire the next day — after the burning of the Mejis.
The Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu marks the harvest festival and the celebration continues for more than a week. People are invited for courtesy visits in the neighbourhood and are served different traditional recipes including Laru (Laddu), pitha (cakes), flattened rice with curd and jaggery etc.
On Monday, markets in different parts of the state witnessed brisk activities with people from different walks of life hoarding to get the best of fish, meat, milk, curd, cream, egg etc. Capital town Guwahati too witnessed rushes in most of the markets since morning.
The womenfolk normally prepare various snacks, sweets etc for this day. On the Bhogali Bihu day, they carry their food items to the auspicious Meji spot and are served to the people who participate in the function. Traditional games like Rosi tona (Tug of war), Kabaddi and Kho Kho are played on the first day of Magh Bihu.
The idea is to make the day full of fun and give the people of the area a break. Likewise, other localities also organised singing and art competitions among the kids.
Although the major attraction of the Bhogali Bihu was the fight between Bulbul birds and Buffalo at Haigriva Madhav Temple at Hajo near Guwahati and at Ahatguri in Morigaion district, people are going to miss this now as the organisers have decided not to hold the events due to a recent order by the Gauhati High Court, banning the use of birds and animals for fights. The Supreme Court had earlier imposed a ban on the buffalo and Bulbul dual.
"The Bulbul fight has been a tradition of the Haigriva Madhav temple here. The heritage has been carried on for centuries. However, we did not organise it after the ban by the Supreme Court. Last year we organised it after the Assam government issued a standard operating procedure (SOP). However, as there is an effective ban again, we are refraining from holding it this year," said Shiva Prasad Sarma, the Doloi (head administrator) of the temple.
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