Rongali Bihu Prep in Full Swing: Bihu Dance & Dhol Workshop in Guwahati Sees Unprecedented Response

With the vibrant festival of Rongali Bihu just around the corner, the festive spirit has already taken over Assam. A grand workshop on Bihu dance and Dhol playing commenced on Tuesday in the Chandmari area of Guwahati, drawing an overwhelming response from enthusiastic participants.

Organized by the Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan, the 12-day-long workshop has seen a massive registration of over 1000 boys and girls eager to learn the art of Bihu folk dance and traditional Dhol playing.

Simanta Thakuria, General Secretary of Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan, highlighted the significance of the initiative.

“This year, Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan is celebrating its 64th year of Bihu festivities. Every year, we organize a workshop to educate the younger generation about our rich cultural heritage. This year’s workshop began today and will continue till April 12. The main Bihu competition will be held on April 14, 15, and 16,” Thakuria said.

The people of Assam will celebrate Rongali Bihu, also known as Bohag Bihu, on April 14. As the most significant festival of the Assamese community, it marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year and the onset of the agricultural season.

The week-long celebration, popularly known as ‘Xaat Bihu,’ is filled with vibrant cultural performances, traditional feasts, and age-old rituals that bring communities together in joyous revelry.

One of the unique customs of Rongali Bihu takes place on the first day, where cattle—an essential part of agrarian life—are bathed and anointed with fresh turmeric and black lentil paste. As a traditional practice, people sing to their cattle:

“Lao kha, bengena kha, bosore bosore barhi ja, Maar xoru, baper xoru, toi hobi bor bor goru.” (Eat gourd, eat brinjal, grow every year, Your mother is small, your father is small, but you become a large and strong one.)

With the workshop in full swing and the countdown to Rongali Bihu underway, the excitement in Guwahati and across Assam is palpable. As the beats of the Dhol and the rhythmic Bihu dance steps fill the air, the festival promises to be a grand celebration of Assam’s rich cultural legacy.

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