Magh bihu celebrated in Pune

Celebrated in mid-January, the day of Magh Bihu, the traditional festival of Assam, it is the time when winter goes towards the way of spring season. The eve of the two months is called ‘Sankranti’ and this time is very important for the festival of Bihu. During Magh Bihu, ‘Uruka’ the day before the Magh Bihu. The night of ‘Uruka’ has a great importance. People used to make different food items like Pitha (cake made of flour of rice), Doi (curds), chira (dry rice), fish, meat, etc. as well as they are got prepared for the prayer to the god.

It was a time to reinstate the feeling of belongingness in a land away from home. It was the Assamese community in Pune and its Bhogali Bihu marks the end of the harvesting season and signifies plenitude. The night before Bihu, people indulge in heavy feasting. Early next morning, maizee (thatched pavilions) are lighted, around which people pray and feast on pitha (made of sticky rice), narikol (coconut) and til (sesame) laddus, sweet potatoes etc

On the cold evening of 17th January, some 200 people gathered at Parsi Gymkhana, Camp. The function was inaugurated by Brig. R.J. Sharma, President, Pune Cantonment Board, followed by lighting of the maize “bonfire” by Dr Kaur, a veteran from Assam, with people having a taste of narikolar (coconut) laddu round the bonfire.

Function then carried out with beautiful Bihu dance and Assamese songs. One of the main attraction was tambola almost every people participated in that. At the end, there was a cultural component to help people unwind followed by a lavish “BHOJ” dinner with Chagoli Mangxho “Mutton” and Maash “Fish” with various other delicacies.

The beautiful function was organized by H. N Bhuyan, Utpal Sarma, Pulak Borthakur and Pranjal Saikia with the people of assamese community residing in Pune.