Congress' poll campaign in Assam's Sonitpur turns into music, dance ahead of Rongali Bihu celebration

SONITPUR: Congress's election campaign in Assam's Sonitpur Lok Sabha constituency turned into a celebratory mood as its state president Bhupen Kumar Borah played the dhol (drum) and its candidate from the constituency, Premlal Ganju, danced to the tune of the music, ahead of the Rongali Bihu. Borah was seen playing Dhol after the villagers at Tezpur offered the musical instrument to him.

Ganju immediately joined the celebration, dancing to the tune of a Bihu song along with villagers, including some women wearing traditional attire. The occasion was ahead of the Rongali Bihu celebration.

Rongali Bihu, also known as Bohag Bihu, is one of the most important festivals celebrated in the Indian state of Assam, particularly by the Assamese people. It marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year and usually falls in mid-April.

The festival signifies the onset of the agricultural season and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour. Rongali Bihu is a multi-day festival that typically spans seven days, each day known as 'Xaat Bihu.' The celebration involves various cultural activities, traditional rituals, and feasting.

On the first day of Rongali Bihu - the cattle are washed, and smeared with a paste of fresh turmeric, black lentil, etc while people sing to them - "Lao kha, bengena kha, bosore bosore barhi ja, maar xoru, baper xoru, toi hobi bor bor goru (Eat gourd, eat brinjal, grow from year to year, your mother is small, your father is small, but you be a large one)" and then the people also worship the cattle.