Kati Bihu of Assam

 

        Kati Bihu of Assam

Kati Bihu is celebrated on the last day of the Assamese month "Ahin" almost September-October. This Bihu is the worship of goddess fertility more precisely goddess Lakshmi. We Assamese people light lamps (diyas) under the tulsi plant and sky lamps in the fields. Within Assam there are different rituals and beliefs regarding Kati Bihu. But the main idea is the same for everyone. Different Tribes celebrate in their traditional ways.

Life has changed over the centuries and ages. But in Assamese culture the tradition of Bihu is still celebrated with the same joy and purity. Ways of celebration have changed. In the traditional way in Kati Bihu, children and women plant a  tulsi plant and decorate it by making an altar. People clean their houses and their yards. In the evening the lady of the house lights lamps under the tulsi plant and sky lamps in their fields and pray to God to bring fertility to the dying fields. There is no feasting. People go on fast for the entire day. For the entire month the lady of the house light lamp under the tulsi plant. It is said that by doing this, fortune comes to the house.

Now in modern days, on the day of Bihu, we plant the tulsi plant in the flower pot. Clean the house and light lamps under the tulsi plant and in the vegetable garden. Instead of going fast for the entire day, people don't eat junk foods and non-vegetarian dishes on the day. We now even don't light lamps for the entire month because of insufficient time. We have altered some traditions because of our modern life but it's significance has not gone down. We still pray to God on that day to bring fortune to our home and fertility to the dying lands.  

We are doing our best to preserve the tradition in this modern world. Many traditions and cultures have vanished with time from our hearts. But now we are trying our best so that the next generation can too have the fun we once had on the Bihu. We Assamese People can forget everything but not the Bihu tradition. Bihu is our identity. So I request every single citizen in Assam and Assamese people in foreign to celebrate Bihu. Bihu is not a religious festival. Every type of person can celebrate it. Bihu is more a type of a party than a festival. The Assamese Culture is not a culture for a special group of people; it is a festival for those who are born in Assam, who live in Assam, who love Assam and who respect Assam.  So Please whenever you step in Assam pay respect to the tradition and culture of Assam.

Many Non-Assamese  people in Assam still don't respect our culture ,tradition and language. This has led to the decrease of the number of people celebrating Bihu in Assam. It is natural that things merge with each other but sometimes some merges lead to the disrespect of the tradition. I want to say to everyone in Assam and those Assamese in foreign that never give up the identity of Assam. Without Bihu Assam won't have anything.

                      

                         All Assamese people, those who love Assam and love their own culture please drop a comment in the comment box if you agree with me with the point or drop "জয় আই অসম  "    in the comment box .

                                                                                                               By R Choudhury

                                                                                                            Picture by R Choudhury