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 Assamese
Hindus observe the
Durga puja, the Daul Utsava called Fakuwa, the
Janmashtami, the Saraswati, Lakshmi and the Kali pujas. The
Muslims observe the Id and the Muharram. In some parts, the snake goddess
Manasa is worshipped by tribals and non-tribals alike.
Bihu
The national festivals of the Assamese, irrespective of caste, creed or
religion are the Bihus. It is secular in concept because it is intimately
connected with agriculture. There are three Bihus that come off at various
stages of cultivation of paddy, the principal crop of Assam. They are
Bahag (Baisakh) Bihu, Kati (Kartika) Bihu and Magh (Magha) Bihu.
Among the Bihus, spring festival called Bahag Bihu is the most important.
The Bahag Bihu is also popularly called Rangali Bihu or the
Bihu that cheers, while Magh Bihu is the Bhogali Bihu or the Bihu that
one enjoys with food and drink. In between comes the Kati Bihu observed
on the last day of Aswin, also called the Kangali or Beggars bihu, for
there is nothing much to eat at this time. The term Bihu is traced to
the Sanskrit word Visuvan; i.e. equinox .The bihus take place on
a Sankranti day, which means the time when the sun passes from one zodiac
sign to another.
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The Bahag bihu
The Bahag Bihu (spring time Bihu) starts on the last
day of the month of chaitra which is also the last day of the Hindu
calendar year and ushers in the new year (mid-April being the beginning
of the Hindu calendar year). The first day is called Garu bihu. It is
the day of the cattle when bulls, cows and calves are bathed anointed
with turmeric, fed with brinjals and gourds and given new tethering ropes.
The second day, i.e. new year's day is called Manush bihu. It is the day
for men, women and children. New clothes are put on, delicacies are prepared
in every household for feasting and alms are given to the indigent. Old
quarrels and differences are settled, friends and relatives are visited
and entertained with food and presents of hand -woven scarves are made
for near relations and close friends. The bihu continues for seven days.
The main activities during the bihu festival besides those mentioned above,
are dancing and singing and serving rice-beer to visitors.
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The Magh or Bhogali Bihu is celebrated in mid-January
on the last day of the month of poush and the first day of magh during
which the harvest is gathered. On the Uruka day, i.e. the evening preceding
the actual bihu day, young men build a temporary shelter in the
open, collect firewood, often by stealing, which is permissible on this
occasion, for a bonfire. A non-vegetarian feast is held at night and at
crack of dawn, fire is ceremoniously applied to the meji constructed the
previous evening .The meji is a structure built of logs of wood placed
in pairs, tier above tier till they rise to considerable heights
and present the appearance of a lofty temple. The male folk of the
entire village or locality gather at the site of the meji and there take
place a tea party in which cakes of various kinds are served. The feasting
is followed by sports throughout the day. The half-burnt sticks and ashes
of the meji are strewn on the fields and at the root of the fruit trees
as they are believed to increase fertility.
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The Kati or Kangali bihu
 The
Kati or Kangali Bihu is held on the last day of Aswin (Sep-Oct) coinciding
with the autumnal equinox. It is called Kangali (poor) because there is
not much to eat at this time of the year. It is a bihu where people of
Assam (particularly ladies) worship, pray and welcome Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess
of Prosperity) home, lighting earthen mustard oil lamps in the fields
where paddy is growing, in front of the sacred tulasi (basil) plant, store
(bharal ghar) etc. This ritual continues for a whole month.
Although Bihu is observed in all parts of Assam, in
Goalpara and Kamrup districts of lower Assam and in Darrang district of
central Assam, where it is called Domahi it is not accompanied with
dancing as in upper Assam.
A festival called Bhatheli in some parts and Sori in
others, which is celebrated in the first week of Bahag can be regarded
as a substitute for Bihu in these parts. A special feature of the festival
is a colourful fair when people especially young men and girls in new and gay
attire from all the neighbouring villages
flock together.
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Devaddhvani
Devaddhvani is another noteworthy festival held once
a year at Kamakhya. It lasts three days from the last day of Sravana to
the second day of Bhadra. It is connected with Manasa or Maroi puja. Manasa
the serpent goddess is worshipped by many people of Goalpara, Kamarupa,
Darrang and Nowgong districts of Assam. In Sualkuchi and Pasariya villages,
the festival continues for five days.
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Manasa Festival (Debaddhani
Festival)
Manasa festival which commence on September is celebrated
at Kamakhya Temple in honour of the Snake goddess Manasa also called 'visahari'
(the remover of poison). The deity is worshipped during diseases and epidemic.
Click
here for more details
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Rangali Utsav
Rangoli Utsav is one of the most important festivals
in Guwahati, coinciding with Bohag Bihu. It is celebrated in the month
of April at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra to welcome the onset of the
agricultural season. Click
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Other Festivals
Deul of Barpeta, is another festival; celebrated by Assamese.
Deul is Doul Yatra which synchronizes with Holi. Buddhist,Shans and Burmese
on the borders of Assam have their two great festivals, Pocham and Pochi,
in honour of the Buddha.
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