Kati Bihu Chants Reverberate Across Assam

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: ‘Tulasir tole tole mrigo pohu sore / taake dekhi Ramchandrai Hara Dhonu dhore.’ This Assamese couplet of Neo-Vaishnavite literature reverberated in rural Assam today when people celebrated Kati Bihu and prayed before Tulasi (basil plants) for a prosperous harvest with lit earthen lamps (saki).

Sri Sri Auniati Satra of Majuli, traditionally celebrating its 373rd Kati Bihu, spoke of how old this tradition among the Assamese community is. This Xatra has been celebrating Kati Bihu since its inception without any breaks.

As the tradition goes, the Xatra lit as many as 21 pairs of Akash Bonti (sky lamps) in the evening of Kati Bihu. In the presence of the local people, Xatradhikar Dr Pitambar Dev Goswami, along with the deka xatradhikar and other bhakats (devotees), lit the sky lamps, which will continue to burn throughout the entire month of Kati. They also performed prayers before Tulasi plants. The prevalent belief is that touching and worshipping the Tulasi makes one earn beneficial karmas. Gayan, bayan, diha naam, hiya naam, naam kirtan, etc., reverberated in the xatra throughout the day.

Ananta Kalita, a bhakat of Auniati Satra, said, “Our xatra has been celebrating traditional Kati Bihu since its inception. And the tradition had no deviation this year either. We prayed to Lord Govinda for the welfare of people and a prosperous harvest. The Tulasi Puja has a special significance. We believe that worshipping the Tulasi with earthen lamps lit generates beneficial karma. We’ll worship the Talusi throughout the month of Kati.”

Apart from Majuli, Assam celebrated Kati Bihu all over the state by lighting earthen lamps and sky lamps in paddy fields and under tulsi plants in courtyards, besides offering prayers for welfare and a successful harvest. Of course, some villages in Upper Assam stayed away from lighting earthen lamps and sky lamps in paddy fields, as the devastating floods damaged their standing paddy this year. A Mising woman from Santak Bor Mising Gaon, near Simaluguri, said, “The July 19 flash floods this year washed away our paddy plants. We couldn’t cultivate our six bighas of arable land again. We felt sad to see fields bereft of any standing paddy. We have to console ourselves just by lighting earthen lamps and sky lamps in our courtyard Tulasis.”

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