Dancers perform Bihu to usher in the New Year at Rang Ghar in Sivasagar on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, April 14: Festivity, not decadence, oozed from the cracks of Rang Ghar as hundreds from all over Assam gathered at Asia’s oldest amphitheatre this morning to celebrate New Year the Ahom way.

Bare feet tapdanced on the lawn — damp after last night’s shower — to the tunes of pepa and dhol and a hundred folk songs.

Though grey clouds threatened to play spoilsport yesterday, a golden sun added colour the mosaic of red and cream mekhela chador at the Rang Ghar courtyard this morning.

A haunting reconstruction of the Ahom-era rituals took over the gay ceremonies — reminiscent of a Rongali Bihu only the dilapidated amphitheatre must have witnessed some 300 years ago.

By the time the three-hour programme ended, most of the audience was tapping with the performers or lip-syncing the folk tunes.

“Everyone present at Rang Ghar broke into song and dance, depicting a picture of the social and domestic life of the Assamese people. Activities like agricultural pursuits, weaving and spinning, catching fish with the jokai and social customs that make up the rich fabric of Assamese life found artistic expressions in the Bihu songs. It’s an experience worth a million years,” said Priyanko Gohain, who stood in the front row, soaking in the revelry.

If Upper Assam went back a few hundred years back in time, Guwahati burst into a more urban and contemporary celebration.

Bihu processions, organised by various samities, emerged from various parts of the city.

The Brihattar Japorigog Rongali Bihu Sanmilani and Rukminigaon Rongali Bihu Sanmilani took out mega colourful rallies on RG Baruah Road and GS Road.

Amarjyoti Choudhury, vice-chancellor of Gauhati University, hoisted the flag for Japorigog Bihu Sanmilani at RG Barua Kalakshetra and ended his visit with a little speech, appealing for peace and unity.

The Guwahati Bihu sanmilani organised a state-level Bihu dance competition at the Latasil ground.

As the sun sank into the Brahmaputra, concerts took centrestage under neon lights.

Zubeen Garg, Manas Robin, Krishnamoni Chutia were among the celebrity entertainers who made sure that the city-bred Bihu did not end without a touch of lustre.

Though not as high profile, Bihu was celebrated in Dhubri, Nagaon, Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts at grand Bihutolis.