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| A man fills milk into clay pots to prepare curd ahead of Magh Bihu in Jorhat on Friday. Picture by UB Photos |
Jorhat, Jan. 12: The historic Monai Majhi area in Dhekorgorah block of west Jorhat will have an added attraction this Bhogali Bihu.
The celebrations will not only include a community feast on uruka and traditional lighting of the meji early next morning, but also a bhaona performance at a temporary naam ghar.
While the norm is to have the uruka bhoj and bhaonas at night, the three villages of Monai Majhi will celebrate in the day so that the children can participate and do not have to remain awake late at night.
Arabinda Bora, the secretary of the Shankardev Kalakrishti Gobexona Kendra, which is organising the festivities, said there would also be an exhibition of traditional musical instruments made of bamboo and other materials.
Other household goods, which are slowly going out of use even in villages, and fishing equipment — all associated with Magh Bihu festivities — will also be exhibited.
“People of three villages will join in and there will be nearly 200 people. We will have food in a makeshift bhelaghar. The next morning we shall light the meji and offer pitha and other items. There will also be games for children like musical chairs, tug-of-war, egg fights and climbing of a pole made slippery with oil,” Bora said.
On Tuesday, Rukmini haran (kidnapping of Rukmini), a bhaona, will be staged.
Preparations are on in other parts of the state as well.
The Indraprastha Community Development Organisation, which had got the best community development award of the district administration, will have its eighth edition of the feast this time and present jalpan comprising sira, doi, cream, akhoi and kumol saul.
Bihu is also a time for families residing in different parts of the district or even in places far off to come together and take part in the festivities.
Markets are flooded with fish, pots of curd, kath alu, moa alu and ronga alu, all of which are usually partaken the morning after the uruka feast. Shops are flooded with packets of pithas and larus made of coconut and sesame.
It was reported that there will be no fishing at the Borsorala beel this time because of fights breaking out between customers and the fish cultivators. In Rongdoi, famous for its curd in Jorhat, there has been a steady fall in production because of the decreasing population of buffaloes.
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