Senior citizens being feted at the mukoli Bihu organised by the Guwahati unit of the AASU on Tuesday. Picture by Biju Boro

April 13: One of the top draws of Bihu in the city, mukoli (in the open) Rongali Bihu organised by the Guwahati unit of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) was inaugurated at Judges Field today.

The programme started with unfurling of the Bihu flag by Mohini Rabha, followed by swahid tarpan (tribute to martyrs).

Addressing the open Bihu session, Rabha thanked the AASU unit for carrying on the tradition of Assamese culture. She said initiatives should be taken for keeping the cultural traditions alive. “Bihu is our identity and we are proud of it,” she added.

AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya offered his best wishes to the people on the occasion of Bihu. He, however, regretted that the AASU was not able to maintain its character as a student organisation. He said it had to turn to other problems after the political parties failed to offer solutions to the problems of this region.

Bhattacharyya said the AASU had to change its role mainly because of the irresponsible political parties. “The Centre is now making plans to link the Brahmaputra with the other rivers in the country by disrupting the ecological balance of the region.”

The Bihu committee organised a special programme to pay tributes to the late Parbati Prasad Barua on his birth anniversary. The cultural events included group song by students of Handique Girls College, Bihu dance by the 4th Assam Police battalion and jakoi dance by Swahid Moniratan music club of Tezpur.

The committee also felicitated cultural personalities like Jahnu Barua, Kushkanta Debgoswami, Arun Sarma, Prabhat Sarma, Mahendra Borthakur, Bireshwar Barua, Sarat Sarma, Utpal Borpujari, Lisa Mahanta and Pranamika Bora.

The Bihu festivities will continue for four days in most of the dozen Bihutolis of the city.

The committees of these Bihutolis are organising Bihu khel dhemali — sports events — and other competitions like Bihu Samraggi, Bihu Konwari, biya naam and pitha-making that are expected to draw huge crowds.

Well-known singers like Khagen and Archana Mahanta, Tarali Sarmah, Anupam Saikia, Krishnamoni Nath, Trishna Devi and others will also perform at some of the venues.