Rongali Bihu Celebration, Pune’ 2010

Assamese people residing in Pune witnessed a wonderful evening on 1st May 2010, with the celebration of Rongali Bihu at the beautiful auditorium of Maharashtra State Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Pune under the banner of ASSAM CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF PUNE, ACAP.

Rongali Bihu, the harvest festival of Assam, celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year (around April 15) and the coming of spring, inspired unbounded joy and enthusiasm, expressed through intoxicating songs and dances. It derives its name from Sanskrit Vishuvam when day and night are rendered equal through the vernal equinox. It concurs with the Assamesse New Year in April and corresponds to the month of Chaitra in the lunar calendar. People welcome the spring season and pray for a bountiful and rich harvest.

The beautiful evening started with the Bonti Prajwalan done by Honourable guests, Advocate Nilesh Nikam, Councillor, Pune Municipal Corporation and B. K Jain, Chairman, Arco Whitney. A welcome speech was given by Advocate A.K Borthakur, President ACAP, later on Honourable guests expressed their views and gratitude towards the people of Assam gathered for the programme, they spoke about the rich culture of Assam and friendship between people of Assam and Maharashtra. Guests were felicitated by traditionally rich Assamese Gamosha and Jaapi. Amongst the honourable guest’s presence of Prof. (Dr.) B.N. Goswami, Director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune, recipient of the prestigious Kamal Kumari National Award in Science and Technology for the year 2008, made the function more rich and valuable.

Beautiful celebration was garlanded by the songs of Putul Deuri, who made the pack of house dance on his tunes of songs. Adhunik Geet by Utpal Burman, a striking Sattriya Dance was performed by Devika Borthakur. Bihu Group (dal) from Mumbai made the celebration more live with their taals and melody of dhol, pepa and taka, along with beautiful Maidens performed bihu dance, on the love songs, with the electrifying performance, crowd could not stop their feet and started danced on the tunes and music of “Dhol”. Lots of other traditional and fusion dance numbers made the crowd nostalgia for being home away from home.

One of the most attractions of the evening was the Ethnic Apparel Show choreographed by Bhaskar Dutta. The beautiful function was hosted by Mr. Rohan Gogoi and beautiful Assamese maiden Ipshita Borthakur. The auditorium was packed with all Assamese people and also overwhelming response from them. More than four hundred people gave their valuable presence to make the occasion more beautiful.