People of Assam wait eagerly for Bihu. This festival brings happiness to the people of Assam. There are three types of Bihu. We will explain each Bihu in this post. Here is an essay on the Bihu in more than 500 words for SEBA students since this topic in essay writing is common in every school of Assam. This essay will also help students to acquire the proper knowledge of Bihu. The language used in this essay on Bihu is very easy to understand. We hope students will find it helpful.
Table of Contents
An Essay On “The Bihu” in 500 Words in English for SEBA
This essay on Bihu is written in the proper format of essay writing so that students can get maximum marks from this essay in their examination. This essay includes the following sub-topics-
- Introduction to the essay
- Different types of Bihu
- About Bohag or Rongalee Bihu
- About Kati or Kongalee Bihu
- About Magh or Bhogalee Bihu
- Conclusion of the essay
Introduction:
The Bihu is the national festival of the Assamese. It has been celebrated all over Assam from time immemorial. Almost all tribes and castes observe this festival. Over the years, it has cut across all barriers of language, religion, and creed.
The Different Bihus:
There are three Bihu in a year. They are Rongalee or Bohag Bihu, Kongalee or Kati Bihu, and Bhogalee or Magh Bihu.
Bohag Bihu or Rongalee Bihu:
The Rongalee Bihu is so-called because it is the festival of merriment (Rong). During this Bihu, the joy of the people knows no bounds, because Rongalee Bihu takes place during the spring season. It is as if nature too takes part in the celebrations. A spirit of gay abandon prevails all around. The Rongalee Bihu starts on the last day of the month of Chot or Chaitra. This day is called the Goru Bihu day, because, on this day, people bathe their cows, feed them Pithas, give them new ropes and perform several rites for their welfare. They also write some hymns on leaves of Nahar trees and push them into the eaves of the roofs of their houses. The second day is the actual Bohag Bihu day because it falls on the first day of the month of Bohag. This is also called the Manuh Bihu day because the ceremonies performed on this day are mainly concerned with and intended for the welfare of men (Manuh). People greet each other and youngsters pay respect and homage to their elders by bowing before them. People were new clothes and take new Gamochas. They also sing hymns in Naamghars.
Though the above two are the main days of the Bohag Bibu, the general merriment lasts for the whole month of Bohag. Throughout the month, young men and women sing Bihu songs and dance Bihu dances to the accompaniment of various musical instruments like Dhul (drums), Taal (cymbals), and Pepa (pipes). Such songs and dances are known as Huchari. Formerly, such Hucharis were performed by young men and women in the village fields and groves. Nowadays, only men, including the elders, mostly move from house to house to sing and dance Huchari. In the towns, Bihu songs and dances are performed on stages before huge gatherings. The Rongalee Bihu is becoming more and more cosmopolitan. More and more communities with their traditional cultural items are taking part in the merry celebrations. I like it because it is also the most secular festival I have known. In addition to Huchari and other Bihu songs, people also enjoy various traditional Assamese games and sports.
Kati Bihu or Kongalee Bihu:
The Kongalee (poor) or Kati Bihu is so-called because it is celebrated during the lean month of Kati when almost every article becomes scarce. There is no merriment or eating at all. People light earthen lamps near Tulasi plants, atop bamboo poles, and in their fields, and silently pray for a good harvest and a full granary.
Magh Bihu or Bhogalee Bihu:
The Bhogalee or Magh Bihu begins on the last day of the month of Puh and ends on the first day of Magh. However, people continue to enjoy it throughout the month of Magh. This Bihu is called Bhogalee because it is held after the annual harvest and is a festival of enjoyment (Bhog) mainly of food. The day before the first day of the Magh Bihu is called the Uruka day. On this day, people eat huge feasts in the evening and pass the night amid merriment beside fire inside camps, known as Bhelaghars made of bamboo and straw. The next morning, they light huge bonfires, known as Mejis, and offer prayers to the god of fire. Then they eat several kinds of delicious food like chira, pitha, akhoi, doi etc. After that, they go to the open fields and witness several traditional games and sports like buffalo fight, cockfight, and wrestling as well as many modern games and sports. The Magh Bihu is mainly a harvest festival as much as the Rongalee Bihu is a spring festival though, in the latter too, eating is no less than the former.
Conclusion:
Each of the three Bihus has a meaning and a beauty of its own. the Bihu will last as long as the Assamese themselves. I always look forward to it.
Very helpfull essay