People across Assam observed the first day of Rongali Bihu – known as ‘Goru Bihu’ with traditional fervour on Friday.
In Golaghat, people bathed cows in water as the Rongali Bihu celebration began.
The week-long Bihu celebrations in Assam start with ‘Goru Bihu’, dedicated to livestock.
On the first day of Rongali Bihu – the cattle are washed, and smeared with a paste of fresh turmeric, black lentil, etc while people sing to them – “Lao kha, bengena kha, bosore bosore barhi ja, maar xoru, baper xoru, toi hobi bor bor goru (Eat gourd, eat brinjal, grow from year to year, your mother is small, your father is small, but you be a large one)” and then the people also worship the cattle.
“Assam is an agricultural state and here cow is worshipped as Lakshmi. That’s why while worshipping the cow traditionally on the new year, turmeric is applied to the cow and it is collectively bathed in a river or pond with great enthusiasm,” a local resident said.
Many Bihu celebration committees in Guwahati and other parts of the state have organized week-long Rongali Bihu programmes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati on Friday to preside over a public function, where he will witness a colourful Bihu programme performed by more than 10,000 Bihu dancers.
Rongali Bihu is observed in the first week of the month of Bohag (mid-April) every year, Rongali or Bohag Bihu heralds the Assamese New Year and is widely celebrated among the community.
The Assamese celebrate Bihu thrice a year, which signifies the distinct cycles of farming – Bhogali or Magh Bihu in January, Bohag or Rongali Bihu in April, and Kongali Bihu in October.
