Assam: Academic book on Bihu launched

A CORRESPONDENT

NAGAON: In a significant moment for cultural scholarship in India, the much-anticipated academic volume ‘Bihu: The Agricultural Festival of Assam,’ prepared under the aegis of the North East Zone of ICOMOS India, was officially launched on June 29 at the Annual General Meeting of International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), India. The volume, containing 25 articles, was unveiled by Dr Rima Hooja, President of ICOMOS India. She commended the extraordinary intellectual and field-based contributions of the authors in this path-breaking academic work. Leading cultural experts of India, GSVSN Murthy, Bikramjit Chakraborty, and Madhu Vottery spoke about the role played by the North East Zone of ICOMOS India. Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, the volume’s editor, offered a concise overview of the book’s structure and themes.

The volume ‘Bihu: The Agricultural Festival of Assam’ is more than a documentation of a festival—it is a testament to rigorous scholarship, community-rooted research, and the unwavering commitment of heritage professionals. Conceived, initiated, and brought to fruition by Dilip Changkakoty, Zonal Representative of the North East Zone of ICOMOS India, the work reflects years of solitary academic labour and visionary cultural stewardship.

The scholarly journey began in 2020, with the North East Zone organizing the first-ever webinar on Bihu, a pioneering step toward bringing Assam’s intangible cultural heritage into mainstream academic discourse. This was followed in 2021 by an international essay competition, attracting researchers and cultural practitioners from across the globe.

The book ‘Bihu: The Agricultural Festival of Assam’ draws from field research, ethnography, oral histories, and socio-economic analyses, documenting the many dimensions of Bihu, from urban celebrations to rural rituals. The research team led by Dilip Changkakoty interacted with a broad cross-section of Bihu’s custodians, committee leaders, artisans, performers, weavers, food vendors, and cultural officials. A notable feature of the research is its attention to the Sattriya tradition, highlighting the subtle confluences between Bihu and Sattra culture. The study is further enriched by media analysis, historical documentation, and digital ethnography, capturing transformations and continuities in Bihu practices across age groups, geographies, and social strata. The economic aspect of Bihu is also covered in the book.

Editor Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti played a pivotal role in synthesizing these diverse voices into a scholarly, cohesive whole. It has been published by Purbayon Publication of Dr Amrit Kumar Upadhyay. Their website is www.purbayonpublication.com.

‘Bihu: The Agricultural Festival of Assam’ is an invitation to the world to engage with the living heritage of Assam. In its pages, the spirit of participatory knowledge, rigorous inquiry, and ethical cultural documentation lives on. It reflects the core mission of ICOMOS India: to safeguard heritage through scholarship that is inclusive, field-driven, and future-oriented. It is expected that this volume will enlighten people across the globe about the beautiful Bihu festival of Assam.

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