Bishua celebrated in city

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 30: Different strokes for different folks. The Koch Rajbongshis today celebrated their tiol festival Bishua, which is called among many other communities in the State as Bihu. There are many things common between ‘Bihu’ and ‘Bishua’, so are their differences. The differences are ones that give a folk culture a different identity.

The Koch Rajbongshi Sanskritic Sanstha (KRSS) and the Directorate of Culture, Government of Assam today celebrated the tiol festival of the Koch Rajbongshis –Bishua – at Rabindra Bhawan in the city with a daylong programme. Besides the performances of various folk cultures of the community, as many as eight artistes who devoted their life for the development of the folk culture of the community were honoured at the function. The artistes and two jourlists felicitated at the function are Khagen Rai, Maheshwar Rai, Khuduram Rai, Harikanta Rai, Shyam Charan Rai, Ranjita Rabha (jourlist) and Prashanta Kumar Baruah (jourlist).

Presided over by KRSS president Buddheshwar Rai, the programme was attended, among others, by State Cultural Affairs Minister ba Kumar Doley as the chief guest, Cotton College State University Vice Chancellor Dr. Dhrubajyoti Saikia as the special guest, Axam Xahitya Xabha secretary general Paramanda Rajbongshi, Koch Rajbongshi Sahitya Sabha president Dr. Dwijendra th Bhakat and CONKORF’s former president Indrajit rayan Deb.   

Speaking at the function, minister Doley said: “We’ve been stitched with one string. However, the folk culture among us has suffered a setback because of various reasons, including infiltration from outside. The rich and traditiol culture of the Koch-Rajbongshis couldn’t flourish the way it should have been. The responsibility of making the culture popular among the next generation lies with us.”

Paramanda Rajbongshi said: “The Koch Rajbongshis have all along been ignored in the State even as their contribution to the society is immense. They need recognition.”

Dwijendra th Bhakat said: “The Koch Rajbongshi language is on the verge of extinction. However, we’re proud from the fact that the government is taking steps to revive our culture. It’s not known to many that the Koch Rajbongshis were converted to Hindusm even before the Ahoms did.”         

Meanwhile, Cotton College State University VC Dr. Dhrubajyoti Saikia released a souvenir – Bishua – published on the occasion.

It was followed by a cultural programme including various folk dances and songs of the community.