Bihu shoppers at the Rongali Bihu festival at NEDFi Haat. Picture by Biju Boro

Guwahatians are all gearing up to celebrate their merriest festival — Rongali Bihu with much gusto and fervour. Bihu revellers have already started thronging the shops, boutiques and fairs braving the rains and grabbing their picks.

Fancy Bazar, the shopping paradise for Guwahatians, is abuzz with endless items with alluring promotional offers and discounts from branded apparels like Allen Solly, Colour Plus and others.

Sohum Shoppe, the one stop destination for shopaholics, is a wonderful experience. From traditional, gorgeous mekhela chadors or sarees woven in lustrous Assamese silk like paat or muga, the shop is replete with a modern georgette or crush fabric embellished with stone work or persi embroidery. Those who feel comfortable in salwar kameez can go for branded items like Srijan and zardosi imported from Mumbai to simple, trendy short kurtis which are a rage among teenyboppers.

No less tempting are the branded jewellery items like Nakshatra starting at Rs 15,000, a stunning statement of elegance. Another brand Gili is presenting diamond-studded white gold jewellery collection. Bihu shoppers can also win prizes like table clocks, flower vases as well as the exclusive Esprit watch, Fossil, priced at Rs 15,000.

For fashion designer Dipankar Kashyap, Rongali Bihu embodies a riot of colours for all and sundry and people must revel in bright and vibrant hues of red, black and white — his all- time favourites. “Bright colours always inspire me to create novel designs. These bright shades gel well with the soothing clime and equally vivid natural backdrop of our land of the red river and blue hills,” the ace designer said.

His recent innovations, christened Koyna, an exclusive bridal collection of traditional mekhela chador in paat, muga and Breezing Brahmaputra, a Western outfit designed for both sexes, have already earned rave reviews. Kashyap prefers cotton over other fabrics.

“Youngsters are now coming to my boutique with their clothes they have purchased for my suggestion. I style those according to individual taste, choice of colour and personality and mood. It is more like a fashion counselling,” Kashyap said. So those worried about their look can rush to Kashyap to seek advice.

Girls having a liking for churidars and wishing to sport a new look this Bihu with a touch of exclusivity, Meghna Rai Medhi’s boutique is a perfect destination. Her boutique boasts varied collection of churidars, Patiala salwar, skirts and the traditional mekhela chador. “These days cotton skirts in vibrant hues of orange and yellow are becoming more popular among the teenagers who prefer to sport a trendy look,” said the designer.

Meghna culls her favourite cotton fabric from Bodo women weavers coming from Boronga Juli and local Bodo looms and silk from Sualkuchi and do them up with beads and buttons. For her, Bohag Bihu is all about festivity and time for presents.

Those who want to give presents, can choose from her handwoven bags with bamboo handles or exquisitely designed sandals, studded with sequins and zari. With a clientele ranging from 14-year-olds to middle-aged women, Medhi’s bet for this Bihu is casualwear like skirts in vivid shades of orange, majenta, maroon and the ubiquitous white.

Then there is the beautiful wedding collection. Would-be brides can pick up mekhela chadors woven in half muga and half paat silk and lehenga cholis of paat embellished with a fusion of Khinghap of the Northeast with intricate zardosi work of the north.

For those who prefer handwoven clothes from looms and far-flung districts of Assam and other northeastern states, NE Textile fair at NEDFi Haat is wooing the citizens with a rich collection of mekhela chadors and traditional attires of Manipur, Nagaland and ornaments like gamkharu (bangles) and thuria (earrings).