People celebrate Baokhungri festival. Telegraph picture

Kokrajhar, Feb. 26: The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has big plans for Baokhungri festival this year. The council has decided to make the celebrations an annual affair to attract tourists.

During the festival, Bodos perform the traditional baokhungri hajw gakhwnai (climb the Baokhungri hill) on the auspicious day of Sankranti.

This year, the festival will go on for five days and include exhibitions of traditional art, indigenous sports competitions, dances and awareness campaigns.

A committee has been constituted to organise the festival. BTC deputy Kampa Borgoyary, who is also the in-charge of the BTC tourism department, is the committee’s president, Doneswar Goyary is the working president and BTC secretary P.K. Hazoway is the secretary.

“The traditional Bodo custom to climb the hill called ‘Baokhunguri’ on the auspicious day of Sankranti will be celebrated as a festival every year (from now on) in a systematic and organised way,” said Goyary.

“Since (time) immemorial, locals have been thronging and climbing Baokhungri hill near Kokrajhar town in an unorganised manner,” said Borgoyary.

Perched at 1,491 feet above sea level, Baokhungri peak is around 10km south of Kokrajhar town. The hill lies within Chakrachila wildlife sanctuary — home to the endangered golden langur and other are flora and fauna.

According to legend, Bodos believe Baokhungri hill is the scared dwelling of Sibrai (Lord Shiva) and a number of other deities. So climb to the top to pay homage. Now, thousands of people, irrespective of caste or religion, climb the Baokhungri hill in a festive mood of welcoming Bwisagu or Bihu festival, which falls on the day after Sankranti.