BWISAGU BODO FESTIVEL

            Bwisagu is the major festival of Bodo tribes of Assam in Northeast India. This festival is celebrated in the mid of month April, during the time of Bohug Bihu. Bodo tribes is one of the largest scheduled tribes of Assam. These tribes is mostly found in the district of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksha, Udalguri etc.

             This festival is one of the famous and cherished festival of the Bodo tribe. This festival is celebrated as the springtime festival and to welcome the new year of the tribe. The first day of the festival is worshiping the cows same as the Bohug Bihu celebrated by the people of Assam. On the next day younger people offer prayer to the elder one of the family. Bwisagu is a festival of joy.

             On the next day of the festival people also offer prayer to the "Lord Bathou"(The Sijou Plant) or Lord Shiva by offering Chicken, Zou (Rice Beer) etc.

           During this festival the attractive dance of the Bodo community called the "Bagurumba" dance is performed. The purpose of the dance is offer prayer to the Bodo's supreme  God Bathou from whom The Sijou Plant is symbolized. Only Girls are performed in this Dance. Girls wear Dokhnas (Draped Skirts) Chaddar (Clothes use as a bodice) and Jhumra (Shawl) during performing the dance. Dokhnas is the traditional dress of women of these tribes. During this dance performance man plays the musical instrument Serja (a bowed instrument), Sifung (Flute), Tharkha (a piece of split bamboo) and Khum (a long drum made of wood and goat skin). This festival take places mostly in Bathou temples where everyone can join and enjoy.

BOHAG BIHU or RONGALI BIHU

           Bohug Bihu or Rongali Bihu is one of the major festival of Assam a state from Northeast India celebrated in the middle of the month April. This festival is celebrated as the New year of Assamese Calendar and the arriving of the spring season. This festival is celebrated for the entire month of Bohug.

Kopo (Flower use at the time of Bihu dance)

        The first month of the year is known as Bohug so it is known as Bohug Bihu and the word Rong means Happiness and Celebration so it is also known as Rongali Bihu. So this festival represent the joy and the happiness of the society. Assam being a agricultural based state this festival is related to Harvesting. This is also the biggest festival of the state and celebrated all over the state by all the tribes of the state.

 

       The first day of Bihu is dedicated to the cattle which provided the livelihood to the people and this day is known as the Goru (Cow) Bihu. On this day, early in the morning cow and buffalo bathed in the rivers or ponds. The cow are offer vegetable like brinjal  and gourd etc. The old rope of the cow were change to the new one.

        The next day is known as the Manu (People) Bihu. On this day people offer prayer at the Temple and Namghar. An Bihu Hosuri (a dance form perform by the man) is performed at the Namghar. Special dish and sweets are prepared on this day. From the next day onward Bihu dance like mokuli bihu & jeng bihu is perform in every household.  

DWIJING FESTIVAL

             

                  Dwijing festival is celebrated on the Bank of Aie (Mother) river near Hagrama Bridge located at Chirang district of Assam (BTAD). The Aie river flows from the Himalayan Mountains of Bhutan. This river plays an important role to near about 30000 families in Chirang district for their daily livelihood. This river is also an attraction to local tourist for picnic and weekend.

         

                  Dwijing festival is an annual river festival celebrated every year in the month of end of December and in starting of the month January. This festival was first celebrated in the year 2016. This festival was previously known as "Aie River Winter Festival", later the name was change to ' 'Dwijing'  it also means river bank. This festival included various colorful activities local food, ethnic trades, exhibition, games & sports, river camping, adventures and various cultural programs. Being a platform of earning for the locals and other of the region the festival put focus especially  to the business activities for the better economic. However this festival is meant to provide help to the flood victims families. 

ZIRO MUSIC FESTIVAL

                Ziro music festival is an outdoor music festival, held at the Ziro valley of Lower Subansiri district in state Arunachal Pradesh of northeast India. This festival was first held in the year 2012 by Bobby Hano and Menwhopause (A Rock band based in Delhi India) guitarist Anup Kutty. This festival is celebrated for four day in month of September or October and is hosted by the member of Apatani tribes of Ziro. This festival is noted to be the Eco-friendly festival in India. This festival has two stage Donyi (Sun) and Polo (Moon), Donyi Polo is a religion followed by the people of Arunachal Pradesh. Every structure in this festival is made of Bamboo. People can enjoy different type of music from around the country. Along with the music, local food of the state can be enjoyed in this festival. The other states who are not from the state Arunachal need ILP (Inner Line Permit) and foreigners need PAP (Protected Area Permit) these are available at tourist offices in all the major cites in India, or can be collected at the entrance gate of the state.

FESTIVALS OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

              Arunachal Pradesh known as "The land of rising Sun", is a state from northeast India. This state has many different tribes, so they have different festival according to their tribes. Festival in this state is celebrated through out the year.  Festival here are the identity of the tribes.  Mostly festival here are related to the agriculture and gratitude towards the almighty God.

               The festival like Nyokum which is celebrated by the Nyishi tribes in the month of August, This festival is celebrated for better productivity prosperity and happiness of all the human being on the earth. This festival has also close link with cultivation. Nyishi tribes also has a festival known as Boori boot. This state has also other festival like Mopin festival celebrated by the Galo tribes, Solung festival celebrated by the Adi tribes, Losar festival celebrated by the Monpa tribes, Dree festival celebrated by the Apatani tribes, Si-Donyi festival celebrated by the Tagin tribes, and lot more.

                This state also celebrated festival which is not related to tribes, like Ziro music festival which is a music festival celebrated at Ziro valley located in the Lower Subansiri district of  State Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India, Orange festival a festival mixed up with music, adventure, etc is celebrated at Dambuk  in Lower Dibang valley district on Arunachal Pradesh of Northeast India.

           
               

MAGH BIHU

                 Magh Bihu also known as Bhogali Bihu or Maghar Domahi, is celebrated in the state of Assam from Northeast India.This festival is celebrated in the mid of January, on the first day of the month Magh of Assamese calendar, as the end of harvesting season. Where every one has plenty of  food to eat. This festival is also known as Food festival.

                 This festival actually begin from the last day of the month 'Puh' from Assamese calendar known as "Uruka". In this festival people used to make Meji (Sharp structure made of bamboo and leaves) and Bhela Ghar (House made of bamboo and hey) in a open area. People spend the night at the Bhela Ghar and have feasts with bonfire on the last day and night of the month 'Puh'. The Meji and the Bhela Ghar is burn in the morning in the first day of the month Magh. It is believe that the fire of Meji take the winter out.

                 In this festival women prepare different type of Pithas (Rice cakes). Pithas like Shunga Pitha (Rice made inside bamboo), Til Pitha (Rice Powder fried in oil) etc. Different type of traditional games like egg fight, Buffalo fight, Cock Fight etc are also included in this festival in some part of the state.

                

BIHU FESTIVAL

                 Bihu festival is the major festival of the state Assam from Northeast India. This festival is sets in three different parts, Rongali Bihu or Bohag Bihu observed in the month of April, Kongali or Kati Bihu in the month of October and Bhogali or Magh Bihu in the month of January. It is celebrated by the people of Assam living worldwide. The term Bihu is also used in the traditional dances as Bihu dances and in traditional song as Bihu songs.

                 Rongali Bihu or Bohag Bihu is the most important festival of all the festival in Assam, This festival is celebrated in the month of April as a Assamese New Year or Spring festival. The first day of the festival is known as Goru Bihu (Cow Bihu) where cows are wash and worshipped which is the last day of the previous year. Next day is the Manuh (human) Bihu which is the New Year Day. In this day people wear new cloth and celebrated the New Year. The people Sing Bihu song and dance Bihu  the traditional dance of Assam. This festival is celebrated for seven days.

                 Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu is celebrated in the month of October. This festival is closely related to agriculture.  This is celebrated in the first day of the month Kati of Assamese calendar. This festival is celebrated in  the evening time by lighting saaki/diya (Candle) in various places. In Paddy Field saaki is light up high on the top of a tall bamboo for the good health of the crop. They also light up the saaki in front of the Tulshi plant, Bharal Ghar (Store room) etc.. People of Assam (specially woman) worship and pray to welcome Goddess Lakshmi home.

                  Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu is celebrated in the month of  January, on the first day of the Magh month of Assamese calendar. This festival is a food festival. This festival is celebrated when the cultivation work gets over and every body has plenty of food. On this festival people build Meji (Seraph structure made of bamboo, leafs and hey) and Bhela Ghar (Temporary House build with bamboo and hey) where people spend whole the night on this Bhela Ghar. They burnt the Meji and  Bhela Ghar on the first day of the Magh month. Different type of Pitha (sweets) are prepared on this festival. Traditional sports like buffalo fight are also included in this festival.

                   

KARBI TRIBES

                       The Karbi tribes are the principal indigenous tribal community of Karbi Anglong district of Assam. This tribes can also be seen in Dima Hasao, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Biswanath Chariali district of Assam. They are also in other states like Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh of Northeast India.

                        This tribe belong to the Tibeto-Burman group. They mainly speak the Karbi language, they also speak the Assamese language. Most of the Karbi people believe their traditional religion called Hemphu-Mukrang (Hinduism). However some of the people from this tribes believe in Christianity.

                    The Karbi tribes celebrated many festivals, Among them are Hacha-Kekan, Chojun, Rongker, Botor Kekur etc... Botor Kekur is celebrated to request god to grace the earth with rain so that the crop could be sown. Rongker is celebrated as a thank giving to god and to protect the whole village from any evil.

                      Northeast Indian is an non vegetarian region. So each and every tribes of Northeast India preferred Meat or Fish. The Karbi tribes have a traditional way of cooking food without oil and spices. Meat and Dry Fish is one of the favored food item of this tribes. Pork cooked with  sour bamboo shoots is the special dish of the tribes. Sometimes Fish and Chicken are also cooked with the sour bamboo shoots.

                      Dress, the Karbi man wear is different according to their age groups. Commonly the karbi men wear Choy-Aan (Coat) with a Rekong-ke-Er (Lion Cloth of red cloth), with Gamocha on their shoulder. The Karbi women are very fond of their traditional dresses. The karbi women wear Pinicamflak (a kind of wrapper) on the waist to cover the lower part of the body, Pe-Kok to cover the upper part of the body with Wankok tied on their waist.

                        

BODO TRIBES

                    The Bodo Tribes are the ethnic of the Brahmaputra valley in Northeast India, and one of the largest Schedule tribe in Assam. They are recognized as a plain tribes in the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution, They resided in the district of Udalguri, Chirang, Baksa, Sonitpur, Kokrajhar, Goalpara, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji of Assam. Some of  Bodo people are also settle in West Bengal and Nepal.

                      Bodo Tribes of Assam are known as the earliest settlers of Assam,and first to cultivated rice and silk worm in Assam. This tribes speak the Bodo languages, one of the languages of Sino-Tibetan. Bodo tribes mainly believe in the religion called Bathouism. The shijou plant (Euphorbia Genus) is taken as the symbol of Bathouism. As Bodo people believe five mighty element of God, they are Land, Water, Air, Fire and Sky. Some of the Bodo tribes believe in the Christianity.

                      Baishagu is the major festival celebrated by the Bodo people. In the mid of April every Year as a New Year of the Bodo Tribes. Traditional dance Bagurumba is performed in this festival. Bagurumba is the folk dances of this tribe. The woman performed this dances with colorful dress called dokhna, jwmgra and aronai.

                     Rice is the main food of the Bodo tribes served with fish or Pork. Oma Bedor (Pork Meat) is mostly liked by the Bodo people. The cooked the pork in various style, It could be Fried Roasted or Stewed. Onla, is gravy dish made from rice powder and slice of bamboo shoots and lightly with oil, Chicken or Pork can be added in Onla. Zumai, (Rice Beer) is also serve  during the festival like Baishagu.