Bihu
Bihu is the essence of Assam and is celebrated across the state with a tremendous zeal and enthusiasm. There are three Bihu festivals namely ‘Bohag Bihu’ celebrated in the month of ‘Bohag’ (Baisakh, the middle of April), ‘Magh Bihu’ celebrated in the month of ‘Magh’ (the middle of January), and ‘Kati Bihu’ celebrated in the month of ‘Kati’ (Kartik, the middle of October). Each of the Bihu festival has its own significance and is celebrated with its own traditions. The Bohag Bihu, also called the Rongali Bihu is a festival of merriment and heralds the Assamese New Year and the onset of spring. The first day of the Bohag Bihu is called Goru Bihu. Bulls and cows are bathed with turmeric, fed with gourds and brinjals and provided with new attaching ropes. The second day of the Rongali Bihu festival (the first day of the Assamese New Year) is called the Manuh Bihu. Men, women and children put on new clothes, special dishes are prepared at every home for feasts, Pitha’s of various kinds are the pre requites. It is a day of merriment and festivity. People visit their friends and relatives with food items and gifts. The close relatives and friends are also gifted with hand-woven scarves called ‘Gamucha’ as an honorary felicitation.
Me-Dum-Me-Phi
Literally in Me-Dum-Me-Phi, ‘Me’ means Worship, ‘Dam’ means the Dead and ‘Phi’ means God. According to the Tai Ahom faith, man is not reborn after death and as such one of the important customs among them is that the dead body is not burnt but kept in a box and a ‘‘Maidam’’ is built.The essence of this festival is that the ancestors or the dead ones are worshipped by the family members so that the deceased is elevated to the position of ‘Phi’ or God. Even though Me-Dam-Me-Phi is celebrated throughout Assam, celebrations in the districts of Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur are popular owing to the higher Tai Ahoms concentration in these areas. At present, the Ahom people observe Me-Dum-Me-Phi on the 31st of January each year and the same has been declared as a public holiday by the Government of Assam recognizing the importance of the day. .
Dehing Patkai Festival
The Dehing Patkai Festival organized at Lekhapani, in the Tinsukia district of Assam, is a stimulating blend of tribal fairs, tea heritage tours, golfing, adventure sports, and wildlife pleasure trip. The Festival aiming at boosting Tourism in the State is celebrated every year in the month of January and named after the lofty Patkai range and the playful Dehing River. This is an annual festival which lasts for three days. The Dehing Patkai festival was initiated by the Assam Government in 2002 to promote the diverse culture of Assam. The chief guest of the first session of the festival was the then President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Visitors can take an elephant rides and enjoy the scene beauty of the region. Trips to the tea gardens and the Digboi oil field are also arranged for the guests. Another interesting fact about the Dehing Patkai Festival is that it offers a trip to the 2nd World War cemeteries which speaks of history of the past. The festival also arranges for a trip to the Stilwell Road, which was once the passage to the golden land of Myanmar. There are arrangements for Food Festival, Craft Fair, and Cultural Functions for the visitors. The visitors can take pleasure in a wide range of adventure sports on the dotted islands and the banks of the Brahmaputra River which include angling, kayaking and parasailing. This festival helps the villagers to endorse their artisanship to the tourists.
Ali Ai Ligang Festival
The Ali-Ai-Ligang Festival is celebrated by the Mishing tribe every year with much enthusiasm as it marks the onset of New Year for the tribe. The word ‘Ali’ denotes root, ‘Ai’ stands for fruit and ‘Ligang’ means sowing. So, the festival name basically denotes harvest and this is the reason why, the sowing in of paddy is started on this day ritually. Dresses in traditional attires, the Mishing people pay respect to their ancient God ‘Donyi-Polo’ for prosperity and harvest by offered eggs and fish during this festival. The Ali Ai Ligang Festival in Assam is celebrated during the spring season. It is held every year on the first Wednesday of the month of ‘Ginmur Polo’ or February-March. The festival continues for 5 days. The festival is marked by sowing of paddy seeds. After this part of ceremony, young girls and boys of the tribe take part in ‘Gumrag’ dance. After the dancing part gets over, a grand community feast is held by the participants. The food includes treats like ‘Poro Aapong’ or rice beer, dried fish and pork. ‘Purang Apin’ (packed boiled rice) is specially prepared by the Misings only for the festival. During this festival, certain taboos are purely observed with respect to cutting trees, ploughing, fishing, burning jungles etc as per ancient rituals.
Raas Lila Festival
Raas Lila is a century long tradition in Majuli where a Bhaona or traditional dance dramas that depict tales from Hindu mythology are enacted by the devouts to pay their obeisance to Lord Krishna. During the Raas festival, Majuli becomes a place for pilgrimage. For the believers, the island becomes the abode of the Lord Krishna and other divinely figures during this four-day festival starting from the Raas Purnima day. The Raas Lila is an annual festival being performed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the months of October-November (Kati- Aghun) during the autumn season though the exact date changes every year. During Raas Mahotsava, several thousand devotees visit the holy temples every year. The Raas Mahotsav of Majuli, Nalbari and of Howly deserves a special mention in this regard.
Ambubashi Mela
The temple is one of 51 Shaktipeeths or seat of Shakti followers, each representing a body part of the Sati, Lord Shiva’s companion. The temple’s sanctum sanctorum houses the yoni — female genital — symbolised by a rock. Ambubashi Mela witnesses thousands of tantriks and sadhus in attendance from across the world, displaying their psychic powers making an extraordinary spectacle. It is believed that the Goddess goes through her menstrual cycle every year in the month of June. All the temples in Assam including the Kamakhya Temple are closed during those days and no religious activities are performed. After three days, the Goddess is bathed and other rituals are performed. On the fourth day, the doors of the temple are reopened and prasad in the form of ‘Angodak’ and ‘Angabastra’ is distributed. ‘Angodak’ means the fluid part of the body which is basically water from the spring. While the ‘Angabastra’ also called as ‘Rakta Bastra’ which is cloth soaked in the menses of the Goddess. The Ambubashi Mela is celebrated every year during the monsoon season, which happens to fall in around the middle of the month of June. Thus, every year during the time of Ambubashi a large number of devotees gather here to perform religious rituals.