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KOKRAJHAR: Rongjali Bwisagu/Rongali Bihu is the greatest festival of the people of Assam celebrated to mark the Assamese New Year. In Bodo belt, the Rongjali Bwisagu is celebrated with highest importance with the showcase of rich culture, tradition besides upholding the peace and integrity. It is celebrated in every Bodo village and family, which offers ethnic eateries and rice beers, sing together and dance together with traditional instruments. Generally, Bodos don’t celebrate Bwisagu on the stage but they visit house to house together by singing and dancing with folk music and Bwisagu songs where the younger ones take blessings from the elders before singing and dancing and thus strengthen the love and brotherhood in the society.
A day before the New Year, especially on the last day of the Chaitra, Bodos eat ‘Gwkha-Gwkhwi,’ a special dish of sour and bitter taste made from over 100 medicinal plants and shrubs collected from the jungle and paddy fields to make themselves free from ailments. Since the community depends on agriculture, the families take their cattle to the river to bathe and garland them with brinjal and gourd with traditional songs. On the 1st day of the Rongjali Bwisagu, every household offers prayer in the Bathou while followers of Brahma Dharma sit for Jagyahuti before joining the community singing and dancing. The old and young go from one home to another singing Bwisagu songs and dancing. They take blessings from the elders kneeling down before them and some of them go to open space and paddy fields for picnics after some days. The Rongjali Bwisagu lasts for around a month.
On the other hand, the All-Bodo Students Union (ABSU) organized an open Bwisagu at Govt HS&MP School field on Tuesday like previous years, where hundreds joined. As a part of the programme, President of ABSU Dipen Boro hoisted the organizational flag followed by paying respect to elders and taking blessings from them. Cultural troupes from various places joined the open Bwisagu.
Minister UG Brahma, MLA Lawrence Islary, BTC EMs, Registrar of Bodoland University Dr Subung Basumatary, principals and lecturers of different colleges, and prominent citizens also joined the open Bwisagu.
Minister UG Brahma wished the people of the state and BTC region a very happy Rongjali Bwisagu/Rongali Bihu and hoped that the Assamese New Year will bring peace, prosperity and integrity among diverse sections of people.
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