Assam Gears Up to Celebrate Bohag Bihu Amid COVID-19

The people of Assam are geared up to celebrate Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, the beginning of the Assamese New Year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The markets are flooded with items like laru, pitha, curd, jaggery etc. along with clothes to celebrate the festival with enthusiasm and fervour.

Buyers of all age groups from children to aged people thronged the markets to pick their favourite clothes to mark the tradition of wearing new clothes on the first day of Bohag. People also exchange 'Bihuwan' with their near and dear ones as a mark of love.  

Bihu fairs are being organised at different places by self-help groups from different parts of the State selling readymade delicacies and other Bihu essentials. The fairs are facilitating availability of special Bihu items from all corners of the State under one roof, thus helping the people maintain traditional practices – albeit in a different manner.

The women are busy in making laru, pitha which is a traditional food item without which the Bihu remains unfulfilled.

Although the state government has issued guidelines to celebrate Bihu amidst the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Bihu committees are prepared to organize functions with the proposed protocols.

Temporary markets have also come up at Machkhowa, Chandmari, Khanapara, Ganeshguri and other locations of Guwahati. Vendors are also selling Bihu items like teel laru, narikol laru, pitha, curd, komal chaul, joha chira, etc., on the roadside.