Assam out to celebrate its culture, come what may

OUR BUREAU

Guwahati/Sarupathar: The spirit of festivity has emerged victorious as Assam braces for Bhogali Bihu, the occasion for feasting amidst protests and anger of the indigenous people of the State against the Centre’s move to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Parliament.

Even though the Assamese people aghast with the forceful passage of the controversial Bill in Lok Sabha and expressing their anger and frustration through various ways of protest, they seem to have taken a break to celebrate the traditional Magh Bihu with the same festivities and fervour like the earlier years.

“Celebration of Magh Bihu in a grand way is also a warning to those trying to bring an alien culture to the State by making the Citizenship Bill a law. The indigenous people will die for their culture and identity. In Assam, the people are Assamese first and not Hindus or Muslims, and it is better for the ruling party to realize this at the earliest,” Roopam Gogoi, an entrepreneur in Golaghat said.

The countdown to the biggest post-harvest festival of the State began on early Sunday morning with young men erecting mejis and bhelaghars in the biting cold. After the night long feasting on Monday, the mejis will be burnt early on Tuesday morning, the first day of the month of Magh in the Assamese calendar.

Also read: Preparation on for Bhogali Bihu Utsav in Goreswar