Magh Bihu: Difference between revisions
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|caption = [[Water buffalo|Asian water buffalo]] fight held at [[Nagaon District]] of [[Assam]], on the occasion of Magh Bihu |
|caption = [[Water buffalo|Asian water buffalo]] fight held at [[Nagaon District]] of [[Assam]], on the occasion of Magh Bihu |
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|official_name = Bhogali Bihu |
|official_name = Bhogali Bihu |
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|nickname =Magh Bihu |
|nickname =Maghar Domahi, Magh Bihu |
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|observedby = [[Assamese people|People of Assam and other North eastern states]] |
|observedby = [[Assamese people|People of Assam and other North eastern states]] |
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|date2020 = <!-- only for days that change each year --> |
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|date2021 = <!-- only for days that change each year --> |
|date2021 = <!-- only for days that change each year --> |
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|celebrations = |
|celebrations = Meji, Bhela Ghor |
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|observances = |
|observances = |
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|relatedto = Harvesting |
|relatedto = Harvesting |
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'''Magh Bihu''' |
'''Magh Bihu''' (also called '''Bhogali Bihu''' (of eating Bhog i.e. enjoyment) or '''Maghar Domahi''' is a [[harvest festival]] celebrated in [[Assam]], [[North-East India]], which marks the end of harvesting season in the month of Magh (January–February).<ref>{{cite news |title=Celebrating Nature's Bounty - Magh Bihu |url=http://www.efi-news.com/2012/01/celebrating-natures-bounty-magh-bihu.html |work=EF News International |access-date=14 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117010132/http://www.efi-news.com/2012/01/celebrating-natures-bounty-magh-bihu.html |archive-date=2012-01-17 }}</ref> A bonfire (Meji) is lit for the ceremonial conclusion and prayer to the God of Fire.<ref>{{cite book |title=Fairs & Festivals Of India |last=Sharma |first=S. P. |author2=Seema Gupta |year=2006 |publisher=[[Pustak Mahal]] |isbn=978-81-223-0951-5 |page=25 }}</ref> The festival is developed by the Tibeto-Burman cultures and festivals ''Magan'' of [[Bodo-Kachari people|Kachari]].<ref name="Goswami95" /> |
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==Overview (Rituals)== |
==Overview (Rituals)== |
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The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires.<ref>{{cite book |title=The New Encyclopædia Britannica |year=1987 | |
The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires.<ref>{{cite book |title=The New Encyclopædia Britannica |year=1987 |series=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |isbn=978-0-85229-571-7 |volume=21 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia07ency/page/137 137] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newencyclopaedia07ency/page/137}}</ref> Young people erect makeshift huts, known as ''Meji'' and ''Bhelaghar'', from bamboo, leaves and thatch, and in ''Bhelaghar'' they eat the food prepared for the feast, and then burn the huts the next morning.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bihu being celebrated with joy across Assam |url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/14/stories/2005011410220300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050204202109/http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/14/stories/2005011410220300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 February 2005 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=14 January 2005 |access-date=2009-05-02 }}</ref> The celebrations also feature traditional Assamese games such as ‘’tekeli bhonga’’ (pot-breaking) and buffalo fighting.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bonfire, feast & lots more - Jorhat celebrations promise traditional joy this Magh Bihu |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080112/jsp/northeast/story_8771062.jsp |work=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]] |date=12 January 2008 |access-date=2009-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615132816/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080112/jsp/northeast/story_8771062.jsp |archive-date=15 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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Magh Bihu celebrations start on the last day of the previous month, the month of "Pooh", usually the 29th of Pooh is 14 January, and is the only day of Magh Bihu in modern times (earlier, the festival would last for the whole month of Magh, and so the name Magh Bihu).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.markinkalpataru.org/MK/assamese_date/assamese_cal.php |title=Assamese calendar}}</ref><!-- Unclear which of the content this source verifies --> The night before is "Uruka" (28th of Pooh), when people gather around a bonfire, cook dinner, and make merry. |
Magh Bihu celebrations start on the last day of the previous month, the month of "Pooh", usually the 29th of Pooh is 14 January, and is the only day of Magh Bihu in modern times (earlier, the festival would last for the whole month of Magh, and so the name Magh Bihu).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.markinkalpataru.org/MK/assamese_date/assamese_cal.php |title=Assamese calendar}}</ref><!-- Unclear which of the content this source verifies --> The night before is "Uruka" (28th of Pooh), when people gather around a bonfire, cook dinner, and make merry. |
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== Day of Magh Bihu (celebration)== |
== Day of Magh Bihu (celebration)== |
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The day of the Bihu starts at early dawn by a post-harvesting ceremony called "Meji". In this, bonfires are burned in the fields and people pray to their ancestral gods for blessings.<ref name="Goswami95" /><ref>Ranjit, Gogoi,. Cultural Heritage of Assam. Janasanyog, Assam, 2008.</ref> The word ''Meji'' is originally derived from the [[Deori language|Deori-Chutia]] word ''Midi-ye-ji'' where "Midi" denotes "Ancestral gods", "Ye" means "Fire" and "Ji" means "Fly away", signifying the worship of ancestral spirits which fly away with the fire.<ref>Brown, W.''An outline grammar of the Deori Chutia language'' . 1895, p.73 .</ref> The bonfires are usually made with fireword, green bamboo, hay and dried Banana leaves. People take bath before setting up the bonfire, as a tradition. The ritual of ''Meji Jwaluwa'' (Firing the Meji) is very enjoyable. Worshipping the ''Bhoral'' and ''Meji'' is done by offering [[Chicken]], Rice cakes, Rice beers, Chira, Pitha, Akhoi, Horoom, Curd, and other eatables. |
The day of the Bihu starts at early dawn by a post-harvesting ceremony called "Meji". In this, bonfires are burned in the fields and people pray to their ancestral gods for blessings.<ref name="Goswami95" /><ref>Ranjit, Gogoi,. Cultural Heritage of Assam. Janasanyog, Assam, 2008.</ref> The word ''Meji'' is originally derived from the [[Deori language|Deori-Chutia]] word ''Midi-ye-ji'' where "Midi" denotes "Ancestral gods", "Ye" means "Fire"([https://www.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Sino-Tibetan/mej ''Meij''] also meant Fire in [[Proto-Sino-Tibetan language| Proto-Sino-tibetan]], [https://www.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E0%BD%98%E0%BD%BA#Tibetan མེ] in [[Classical Tibetan|Tibetan]], [https://www.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E1%80%99%E1%80%AE%E1%80%B8#Burmese မီး] in [[Burmese language|Burmese]]) and "Ji" means "Fly away", signifying the worship of ancestral spirits which fly away with the fire.<ref>Brown, W.''An outline grammar of the Deori Chutia language'' . 1895, p.73 .</ref> The bonfires are usually made with fireword, green bamboo, hay and dried Banana leaves. People take bath before setting up the bonfire, as a tradition. The ritual of ''Meji Jwaluwa'' (Firing the Meji) is very enjoyable. Worshipping the ''Bhoral'' and ''Meji'' is done by offering [[Chicken]], Rice cakes, Rice beers, Chira, Pitha, Akhoi, Horoom, Curd, and other eatables. |
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At the end, the Bhelaghar is also burned and people consume a special preparation known as ''Mah-Karai'',<ref name="Goswami95" /> which is a roasted mixture of [[rice]], [[black gram]]. In the breakfast and lunch, people consume various traditional dishes like various [[Fish]], [[Duck meat|Duck]], [[Chicken]] and [[Mutton]] [[Curry|curries]] along with [[rice]], ''‘[[Dillenia indica|tenga]]’'', ''‘[[potato|aloo pitika]]’'' and ''‘[[curd|doi]] sira’''.<ref>{{cite web|title=The aroma of home Bihu feast|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/story/india%2Fkarnataka%2Fbengaluru%2Faroma-home-1986219#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17050589461293&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com}}</ref> The ashes of the bonfire ''Meji'' and ''Bhelaghar'' are used in the trees and crops to increase the fertility of the gardens or fields.<ref name="Goswami95" /> |
At the end, the Bhelaghar is also burned and people consume a special preparation known as ''Mah-Karai'',<ref name="Goswami95" /> which is a roasted mixture of [[rice]], [[black gram]]. In the breakfast and lunch, people consume various traditional dishes like various [[Fish]], [[Duck meat|Duck]], [[Chicken]] and [[Mutton]] [[Curry|curries]] along with [[rice]], ''‘[[Dillenia indica|tenga]]’'', ''‘[[potato|aloo pitika]]’'' and ''‘[[curd|doi]] sira’''.<ref>{{cite web|title=The aroma of home Bihu feast|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/story/india%2Fkarnataka%2Fbengaluru%2Faroma-home-1986219#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17050589461293&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com}}</ref> The ashes of the bonfire ''Meji'' and ''Bhelaghar'' are used in the trees and crops to increase the fertility of the gardens or fields.<ref name="Goswami95" /> |
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==Related Festivals== |
==Related Festivals== |
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Along with the main ''Me-Ji'' and ''[[Sangken]]'', there are many related festivals can be seen [[Assam]] and [[Arunachal]] |
Along with the main ''Me-Ji'' and ''[[Sangken]]'', there are many related festivals can be seen [[Assam]] and [[Arunachal]]. On the seventh day of Magh Bihu they clean utensils and sacrifice fowls to Bathou, their God and go out carol singing, collecting foods. They set up Bhelaghars and burn them in the morning.<ref name="Goswami95" /> |
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In the Full moon day of Magh month, the [[Khamti people]] observe a similar Bonfire tradition related to Buddha. Given the fact that no other Tai group follows such ritual, it can be concluded it would be better that the Khamtis merely adopted the ritual from the locals in the 18th century which was later developed into a Buddhist rite, similar to the Kechai-khati worship organised on the same day.<ref>[http://taikhamtinamsai.blogspot.com/2013/08/rituals-and-festivals.html?m=1 Worship of Kechai-khati which takes place on the same day by Khamtis]</ref> |
In the Full moon day of Magh month, the [[Khamti people]] observe a similar Bonfire tradition related to Buddha. Given the fact that no other Tai group follows such ritual, it can be concluded it would be better that the Khamtis merely adopted the ritual from the locals in the 18th century which was later developed into a Buddhist rite, similar to the Kechai-khati worship organised on the same day.<ref>[http://taikhamtinamsai.blogspot.com/2013/08/rituals-and-festivals.html?m=1 Worship of Kechai-khati which takes place on the same day by Khamtis]</ref> |
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Latest revision as of 03:31, 30 October 2024
| Magh Bihu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Official name | Bhogali Bihu |
| Also called | Maghar Domahi, Magh Bihu |
| Observed by | People of Assam and other North eastern states |
| Celebrations | Meji, Bhela Ghor |
| Begins | 14 January |
| Ends | 15 January |
| Date | 14 and 15 January |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Harvesting |
Magh Bihu (also called Bhogali Bihu (of eating Bhog i.e. enjoyment) or Maghar Domahi is a harvest festival celebrated in Assam, North-East India, which marks the end of harvesting season in the month of Magh (January–February).[1] A bonfire (Meji) is lit for the ceremonial conclusion and prayer to the God of Fire.[2] The festival is developed by the Tibeto-Burman cultures and festivals Magan of Kachari.[3]
Overview (Rituals)
[edit]The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires.[4] Young people erect makeshift huts, known as Meji and Bhelaghar, from bamboo, leaves and thatch, and in Bhelaghar they eat the food prepared for the feast, and then burn the huts the next morning.[5] The celebrations also feature traditional Assamese games such as ‘’tekeli bhonga’’ (pot-breaking) and buffalo fighting.[6] Magh Bihu celebrations start on the last day of the previous month, the month of "Pooh", usually the 29th of Pooh is 14 January, and is the only day of Magh Bihu in modern times (earlier, the festival would last for the whole month of Magh, and so the name Magh Bihu).[7] The night before is "Uruka" (28th of Pooh), when people gather around a bonfire, cook dinner, and make merry.
During Magh Bihu, people of Assam make rice cakes with various names such as Sunga Pitha, Til Pitha etc. and some other sweets of coconut called Laru.
Uruka or Bihu Eve (Beginning)
[edit]The first day of Magh Bihu is known as Uruka or the Bihu Eve.[3] The word Uruka is originally derived from the Deori-Chutia word Urukuwa which means "to end", signifying the end of the harvesting season as well the Pausha month.[8] On this day, women folk get ready for the next day with food items like- Chira, Pitha, Laru, Curd. A feast is organised at night known as Bhuj (derived from the Sanskrit word "Bhojana"). Various indigenous communities prepare rice beer, which is usually not distilled. This is known as Chuji by the Chutias, Nam-Lao by Tai-Ahom, Zou by Bodos, and Aapong by the Mising. Uruka feasting may be a family affair or communal. After the feasting, the Uruka is over.[3] Hut-like structures called Bhelaghar are also built in the fields where people stay during the night.[3] More often village youth pass the night in the Bhelaghars warming themselves by the fire and making use of the vegetables that they steal from the backyards of villagers which is considered a tradition.[3]
Day of Magh Bihu (celebration)
[edit]The day of the Bihu starts at early dawn by a post-harvesting ceremony called "Meji". In this, bonfires are burned in the fields and people pray to their ancestral gods for blessings.[3][9] The word Meji is originally derived from the Deori-Chutia word Midi-ye-ji where "Midi" denotes "Ancestral gods", "Ye" means "Fire"(Meij also meant Fire in Proto-Sino-tibetan, མེ in Tibetan, မီး in Burmese) and "Ji" means "Fly away", signifying the worship of ancestral spirits which fly away with the fire.[10] The bonfires are usually made with fireword, green bamboo, hay and dried Banana leaves. People take bath before setting up the bonfire, as a tradition. The ritual of Meji Jwaluwa (Firing the Meji) is very enjoyable. Worshipping the Bhoral and Meji is done by offering Chicken, Rice cakes, Rice beers, Chira, Pitha, Akhoi, Horoom, Curd, and other eatables. At the end, the Bhelaghar is also burned and people consume a special preparation known as Mah-Karai,[3] which is a roasted mixture of rice, black gram. In the breakfast and lunch, people consume various traditional dishes like various Fish, Duck, Chicken and Mutton curries along with rice, ‘tenga’, ‘aloo pitika’ and ‘doi sira’.[11] The ashes of the bonfire Meji and Bhelaghar are used in the trees and crops to increase the fertility of the gardens or fields.[3]
Related Festivals
[edit]Along with the main Me-Ji and Sangken, there are many related festivals can be seen Assam and Arunachal. On the seventh day of Magh Bihu they clean utensils and sacrifice fowls to Bathou, their God and go out carol singing, collecting foods. They set up Bhelaghars and burn them in the morning.[3] In the Full moon day of Magh month, the Khamti people observe a similar Bonfire tradition related to Buddha. Given the fact that no other Tai group follows such ritual, it can be concluded it would be better that the Khamtis merely adopted the ritual from the locals in the 18th century which was later developed into a Buddhist rite, similar to the Kechai-khati worship organised on the same day.[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Celebrating Nature's Bounty - Magh Bihu". EF News International. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
- ^ Sharma, S. P.; Seema Gupta (2006). Fairs & Festivals Of India. Pustak Mahal. p. 25. ISBN 978-81-223-0951-5.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Goswami, Praphulladatta (1995). Festivals of Assam. Anundoram Borooah Institute of Language, Art, and Culture,1995.
- ^ The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 21. 1987. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-85229-571-7.
- ^ "Bihu being celebrated with joy across Assam". The Hindu. 14 January 2005. Archived from the original on 4 February 2005. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
- ^ "Bonfire, feast & lots more - Jorhat celebrations promise traditional joy this Magh Bihu". The Telegraph. 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
- ^ "Assamese calendar".
- ^ Deori, Kishor.K. Chupere-mago. 1997, p. 46.
- ^ Ranjit, Gogoi,. Cultural Heritage of Assam. Janasanyog, Assam, 2008.
- ^ Brown, W.An outline grammar of the Deori Chutia language . 1895, p.73 .
- ^ "The aroma of home Bihu feast".
- ^ Worship of Kechai-khati which takes place on the same day by Khamtis
