Bathou-Kherai festival held in Kokrajhar to recall Mech royal heritage

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, February 17: A grand Kherai Festival was organized by the Gudi Bathou Religious Union at Choudhury Ghat near Songkosh River under Gossaigaon subdivision in Kokrajhar district with a two-day programme that concluded on Tuesday. Bathou followers, religious leaders of Assam, West Bengal and Nepal attended the religious festival.

Participating in the grand open meeting, the president of Royal Union of Koch Mech (RUKM) Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech said in the year 1562 AD the prominent Mech (Bodo) King Haoriya Mech and his royal descendants worshipped Kherai at the Sankosh river before starting for the battle with the then Ahom king. The king and his royal descendants worshipped the Mech (Bodo) traditiol Kherai festival to gain blessings from the almighty for victory.

Recalling the Mech (Bodo) royal heritage after about 500 years, a grand celebration of the Bodo traditiol Kherai festival was organized at the Sankosh River bank at Bollomjhora Chowdhury Ghat of Jamduar nearby Gossaigaon area in Kokrajhar district. This programme highlighted various Bodo traditiol culture and customs as well as recalled the ethnic history of the Bodo community people. This Kherai was specially organized to recall the golden Bodo history.

The programme continued for two consecutive days on February 15 and February 16. This grand celebration also hosted an open session and mass gathering. The mass gathering was graced as well as attended by representative of various Bodo organizations, political leaders, Bodo intellectuals and renowned special guests.

The Royal descendant of Bodo royal dysty, Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech said that history only speaks the truth and the genuine history of the Bodos could only unite the greater Bodo race.  He added that Bodo people had their own history and heritage along with their historical kings. In the same programme, Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech was given a grand welcome with a series of Bodo traditiol and cultural events. Dev Mech was also honoured as the present royal of the Bodo community.

Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev thanked the Greater Dularai Gudi Bathou Afad for taking the lead role to recall the Bodo royal heritage at the Sankosh River after many centuries. The programme was attended by more than 50,000 Bodo people.

In the same mass gathering, Hiracharan rjiri, the president of the World Bodo Historical Society (WBHS), said that the Bodo community should continue their historical research as well as remain united forever without any division by religion. Daorao Dekrebh rzary, the working president of Bodoland Jajati Suraksha Manch (JSM) said that Bodo history was golden and could never be challenged by anyone. He also thanked the present royal descendant Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech for his significant steps for the glory of the Bodo society.

The meeting was also attended by the 18th royal descendant of Mech (Bodo) royal dysty, Pradip rayan Dev Mech and his wife Champak Lata Devi Mech, former MP of Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency, Sansuma Khungur Bwismuthiary, MLA of Gossaigaon constituency Magendra Brahma, MCLA of Dotma Constituency of BTC, Jyatirindra Brahma alias Jumwi Wary, Bodo writer and Professor Dr. Subungsha Mushahary, army chief of NDFB (P) Chila alias B Sudem, president of Dularai Gudi Bathou Afad Sangraja rzary along with various Bodo intellectuals and senior leaders of the Bodo organizations. Many leaders of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha, ABSU, Bodo Samaj, Bodo Harimu Afad, Jajati Suraksha Manch, World Bodo Historical Society and other Bodo organizations also attended the mass gathering.