Guwahati (Assam ), Apri 14 : The biggest harvest festival of the state ,Rongali Bihu – which marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year, has started on a very subdued note due to the lockdown to check the spread of Covid -19 .
The week-long Bihu celebrations which stated on Monday had curtailing of most of the rituals.
The Assam government has asked the public to follow lockdown guidelines by staying indoors and directed Bihu committees to restrict celebrations by just hoisting a flag in presence of only five persons.
Earlier, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had requested all Bihu committees to conclude this year’s programme by hoisting the flag in presence of no more than 5 persons.
Bihu is marked by preparing various sweets and delicacies called ‘pitha’ and ‘laru’, making ‘gamochas’ (traditional towels) in handlooms, which are distributed among loved ones and month-long cultural programmes across the state.
On the first day of the year which was held today young ones touch the feet of elders in the family to seek their blessings—but that ritual affected due to social distancing distancing .
26 Bihu committees in Guwahati had already to canceled cultural programmes this year on March 20 .
The All Assam Students Union (AASU), the influential students’ organization, which has been holding Mukoli Bihu (Open Bihu) at the Judge’s Field here since 1982, also decided to do away with the event this year and did not hoist the flag to mark the event.
In Bodoland, Amidst ongoing nationwide lockdown across the country,people in the region observed Rongjali Bwisagu by celebrating Bihu at their respective homes on Tuesday.
Citizens extended Rongjali Bwisagu greetings to all the near and dead ones.
As part Rongjali Bwisagu police administration distributed food grains amongst the needy peoples at Sukhanjhora playground under Fakiragram pollice station.
Rongjali Bwisagu organisers hoisted the Bwisagu flag to mark the Rongjali Bwisagu celebration today at Rashmela ground in Kokrajhar district.
Wearing traditional Bodo dokhona,young girls come out to celebrate Bihu or Bwisagu on the first day of Bwisak month today and wished happy Bwisagu greetings to all citizens of the state.
SP Kokrajhar, Rakesh Roushan came forward and distributed food grains and essential commodities on Tuesday at Sukhanjhora among the 367 needy families.
Roushan told that the police administration has come up to distribute food items to the needy families during the ongoing nationwide lockdown periods.
He informed that there is no reports of any positive case of the COVID-19 in entire Kokrajhar district till date .
Meanwhile, government employees from Banglabari village near Daloabari tea estate distributed food grains at Banglabari village while maintaining social distancing.
Villagers and government employees from Choraikola under Kokrajhar police station also distributed food items at the village.
With inputs from Our Kokrajhar Bureau
