Monday, April 12, 2010

Bihu Is In The Air

Onset of the Assamese new year(at around 15 April every year) and coming of spring is celebrated as Rongali-Bihu or also called as Bohag bihu.This marks the first day of the Hindu solar calendar and is observed all over India though called by different names.The above picture is a of a group of Bihu dancers ,these groups visit household to household to sing and dance .Rongali bihu is a seven day long celebration but out here it is celebrated the whole month around.This group was sponsored by Reliance mobile group:they were performing in a housing society near my house .
Here is a picture of girls wearing traditional muga silk mekhela sador .These groups of mainly unmarried and young people visit individual households, by first announcing their arrival at the gate (podulimukh) with drum beats. The singers are traditionally welcomed into the courtyard where they sing the songs and perform the dance. At the end of the performance they are thanked with an offering of tamul in a Xorai(a bell metal stand) whereupon the group bless the household for the coming year. If there is a bereavement in the family, or the family does not invite the group due to an illness, they offer blessings from podulimukh and move on to the next house.
These kind of group usually sing romance and love themed songs.As bihu is commencing ,this year too like always me and my family is visiting our Shillong house for few days.There is a lot to do....packing winter clothes as it would be very cold there even at this time of the year .Bihu is celebrated very grandly in Shillong by Assamese community residing there.Hope to bring more for you about Rongali- Bihu once i get back.I will not be able to visit your blogs for few days.I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Rongali Bihu.

42 comments:

  1. HAPPY RONGALI BIHU TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, KAVITA!!! I look forward to your photos and descriptions when you return.

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  2. what a lovely way to celebrate!

    HAPPY RONGALI BIHU TO YOU AND YOURS!!

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  3. Happy Rongoli Bihu to you too.Looking forward to more posts on them.

    We celebrate our New Year on 15th April too. Its called "Vishu" in Kerala. I wish I was in Kerala too for celebrating it. There too there is a troop of people that come home at around 4 am in the mornings festively dressed and dancing. I don't know if its still there in cities there now.

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  4. The post was very interesting and informative. Love the color of their Mekhla Chadar. I will have to come once again to get mine :-)

    Happy Rongal Bihu to Aunty, Chandan, kids and you!

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  5. Happy Rongali Bihu for you and your family, Kavita! Really, we have so many different ways of celebrating festivals and enjoying them with family.

    For us, varusha pirappu is on 14th April. Wedding season starts!

    Enjoy your holidays and write more about this festival on your return!

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  6. A very happy Rongali Bihu to u too Kavita. Hope u hv a gr8 time bk home :)
    I so feel like wearing my mekhela sador now .. I luv it :)

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  7. A very happy Rongali Bihu to you and your family. Have a great time vacationing and celebrating! :)
    See you back soon! :)

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  8. Happy Bihu to you all.
    Bihu is around the same time as Baisakhi in North India.

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  9. what a fun tradition to celebrate the new year in spring which is a new beginning to the growing season. have a fun vacation.

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  10. Happy Rongoli Bihu to u n u'r family

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  11. Looks like a lovely celebration. The young ladies are beautiful in their costumes. Happy Rongoli Bihu to you and your family.

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  12. really pretty pics.
    when i was in school, we once did a bihu dance in school with the similar dresses and makeup..!
    very cute

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  13. Happy Rongali Bihu to you and your family! The cuckoo bird's tune had been awaking me since the past one month, and each day the anticipation of Bihu had been building up. Pithas cooked, new clothes bought...awaiting Bihu now:)
    "Husori" group had come to our housing society too day before yesterday and it was beautiful :)

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  14. wish you too a very Happy Rongali Bihu. will miss you :(

    but yeah, enjoy your vacation..

    loved the post and the clicks :))

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  15. thanks for that piece of information...
    lovely n colorful...

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  16. Happy Bihu..and Happy Bengali New Year to you

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  17. The vibrant colors, the wonderful explanation of the celebration - are beautiful.

    I think what strikes me most happily is that this group dressed in traditional clothing, taking part in such a wonderful celebration ... are all young. What an awesome way to pass these beautiful ways to another generation!

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  18. Happy Rongali Bihu to you, these girls are very pretty. This blessing tradition is a wonderful thing.

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  19. Awesome! Down south in Kerala it is observed as Vishu! Andhra and Karnataka celebrated their new year a month back called Ugai.. Now it is Bihu and Vishu!

    Happy Rongoli Bihu to you and your family. Have a fantastic year ahead.

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  21. Beautiful shots in traditional outfits. Happy Rongali Bihu to you and your family.

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  22. I love the bihu dance. I wish you had put in a video of the dance for those readers who had not seen this. And the typical folk songs that accompany it.
    Love the attire and the expressions on the girls' faces. Great post.

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  23. ohh I am excited about poila boishakh too, this year we have lot of events planned for the kids!! Love this time of the year. the girls in the pictures are looking so pretty!

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  24. is it to also do with harvest, cause in punjab on 14th april we have vaisakhi that is the beginning of the harvest ...

    loved the pics :)

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  25. Happy Bihu to you and its called Vishu in kerala.

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  26. Hey this post is really informative. Wish you happy Rongali bihu..

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  27. Happy Bihu to you. Its Vishu in Kerala, Tamil New Year in Tamil Nadu :-)

    The girls in the muga silk look gorgeous

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  28. Happy Rongali Bihu to you too!
    Waiting for your post on what all you did at your Shillong home. :)

    Here in Kerala, it's Vishu time :)

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  29. yes, HAPPY RONGALI BIHU TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY...hey wonderful post this yar K...have a gr8 time but return soon to blog world..dont ignore yr blog family for too long..:)

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  30. HAPPY RONGALI BIHU TO YOU AND YOURS!!

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  31. Hv an award for u on my blog Kavita :)

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  32. kaviiiiiiiii so nice to hear fm u...keep up the cheers buddy...:)

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  33. I would love to see this dance someday !!Beautiful post and sharing !!

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  34. Thank you so very much for taking us places we'd never get to go - and to meet lovely people & ways.

    You are a master blogger, Kavita my friend.



    Aloha from Waikiki


    Comfort Spiral

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  35. Thank you all for your beautiful wishes and words.I hope that this new year brings lots of success ,happiness and contentment for all of us.

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  36. Happy Rongali Bihu to you as well. I liked the info you shared in your post.

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  37. Hey this was really good and informative!

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  38. wow.. u are haveing really a very wonderful blog.. congrats.. following you

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