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Assam
is a land of fairs and festivals. Most of
the festivals celebrated in A ssam
have their roots in the diverse faith and
belief of her inhabitants, but a spirit
ofaccommodation and togetherness characterizes
the celebration of all festivals.
The
perfect fusion of heritage of her numerous
races has made Assam the home of the most
colorful festivals which are passionate,
compelling and mesmerizing reflecting the
true spirit, tradition and lifestlye of
the people of Assam.
Six festivals
are organised by the Department of Tourism,
Govt. of Assam, every year to encourage
tourists to visit Assam. They are given
below:
For further
details contact:
Director of Tourism
Govt. of Assam
Phone : +91-361-2542748 / 2547102
Assam
Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.
Dr. B.Baruah Road
Guwahati - 781 007
Phone : +91- 361-2454421/2454570
Besides
these, the major festivals celebrated in
Assam are Bihu, Baishagu, Ali-Ai-Ligang,
Baikho, Rongker, Rajini Gabra Harni Gabra,
Bohaggiyo Bishu, Ambubashi Mela and Jonbill
Mela and so on.
The people
of Assam also celebrate Holi, Durga Puja,
Diwali, Swaraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali
Puja, Idd, Muharram, Me-Dam-Me-Phi, the
birth and death anniversaries of Vaishnava
Saints Srimanta Sankardev and Madhabdev.The
tribals of Assam have their own colourful
festivals like the Kherai Puja of the Bodos,
the Baikhu and Pharkantis of the Rabhas,
Ali-ai-ligang and Parag of the Mishing tribe,
the Sagra-misawa wansawa and laghun of the
Tiwas.
The Ahoms
of Tai origin celebrate Me-Dum-Me-Phi on
the 31st of January annually.
The Ojapali
dances of non-Vaishnavite origin are usually
associated with the Serpent Goddess Manasa.
Bathow
festival is celebrated by the Kacharis through
sacrifice of goats and chickens. The Boros
of the plains in general have an intricate
pattern of indigenous dances associated
with the primitive rituals like Kherai Puja.
The Dimasas celebrate Rangi Gobra and Harni
Gobra at the start of the cropping cycle
for prosperity to ward off calamities. The
Deoris observe Bohagiya visu- the Spring
time festival.
Brahmaputra
Beach Festival
Coinciding with Magh Bihu, the Assamese
harvest festival, this event offers you
a scintillating outdoor experience. Held
on the beautiful, white riverine beaches
of the river Brahmaputra, it is a perfect
blend of traditional contests like elephant
race, kite flying and modern adventure sports
like wind surfing, rafting, canoeing, kayaking,
para-dropping, hot air ballooning, beach
volleyball and beach cricket.
 Dehing
Patkai Festival
This festival in eastern Assam derives its
name from the lofty Patkai range and the
playful Dehing river. It is a heady cocktail
of ethnic fairs, golfing, tea heritage tours,adventures
sports, wildlife excursion and down-mwmory-lane
trips to World War II cemeteries and the
Stilwell Road, once the passage to the golden
land of Myanmar. It is organized in the
month of January every year.
Tea
Festival
Celebrated
every year in Jorhat, this festival is all
about tea, music and merriment. A world
of festivity with traditional hospitality,
jungle safaris, tea garden visits, golf,
local cuisine, rafting in turbulent rivers,
angling, shopping and cultural extravaganza.
A harmonious blend of business and pleasure.
Come and meet the warm hearted people of
Assam and savour Assam's beauty and cultural
diversity.
Elephant
Festival
For conservation
and protection of Asiatic elephant a festival
is organized every year at Kaziranga National
Park jointly by the Forest Department and
Tourism Department, Govt. of Assam. The
festival includes many activities by domestic
elephants and various cultural programmes.
Rongali
Utsav
Come April,
and for the numerous communities, tribes
and sub-tribes inhabiting the banks of the
mighty Brahmaputra it's time to welcome
the onset of the agricultural season, a
celebration of the vibrant springtime fertility
cult. The Rongali Utsav festival is celebrated
annually at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra,
Guwahati.
Bihu is
the most important festival of Assam. It
is celebrated with joy and abundance by
all Assamese people irrespective of caste,
creed, religion, faith and belief. Bihu
can be broadly divided into three categories:
Bohag Bihu which augurs the wish for a good
harvest because this is the time when farmers
start sowing, Kaati Bihu which is observed
to mark the cutting and binding of grains
and Magh Bihu which marks the season of
harvesting of grains. 
Assam,
the melting pot of numerous colourful tribes
comes alive to the beating of the Dhol (drums)
and the melody of the Pepa (flute). Young
and old alike come out in their traditional
attire of muga and pat (both unique varieties
of Assamese silk) tosing the song of eternal
youth. Invariably the Bihu songs are an
eulogy of the exquisite beauty of one's
love, thepersonification of Mother Nature.
It is
one of those festivals which all the major
tribes in the state celebrate, albeit with
different names. While the Bodos celebrate
Baisagu, the Rabhas celebrate Baikho. The
Missings, Deuris and Morans on the other
hand call the festival Bihu Utsav. Call
it by whatever name, one thing is sure it's
time for merriment, time to sing and dance.
Time to visit Assam. To facilitate this,
to introduce people from around the globe
to this unique celebration of the joys of
nature, the Tourism Department, Govt. of
Assam organises the RONGALI UTSAV every
year in Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra,
Guwahati, Assam.
Come and
enjoy the spirit of spring in Assam-the
nature's treasure. We are here to welcome
you.
Tribal
groups like the Mishings, the  Deoris,
and the Morans celebrate "Bihu" with dances
of their own distinctive style. In the more
recent times a fairly large scale migration
of people from other parts of India like
the Santhals, Gonds, Mundas etc. from Bihar,
Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, brought as indentured
laboures for tea gardens have also carried
with them their own distinct cultural heritage
which has blossomed forth in exotic festivals
like Tussu Puja, Sarak Puja, Karam Puja
and captivating dances like the Jhumur.
Ambubachi
Mela
Is the
most important festival of Kamakhya temple
of Guwahati and is held every year during
monsoon (mid-June). It is a ritual of austerities
celebrated with 'Tantric rites'. It is a
common belief that the reigning diety, 'Kamakhya'
, 'The Mother Shakti' goes through her annual
cycle of menstruation during this period.
During
Ambubashi the doors of the temple remain
closed for three days. It is believed that
the earth becomes impure for three days.
During this time no farming work is undertaken.
Daily worship and other religious performances
are suspended during this period. After
three days, the temple doors are reopened
after the Goddess is bathed and other rituals
performed. It is believed that the mother
earth regains her purity now. This is purely
a ritual of Tantric cult.
Ambubachi
mela is held at the Kamakhya temple, after
being closed for the afore-mentioned three
days. On the fourth day only the devotees
are allowed to enter inside the temple for
worship. Thousands of devotees from all
over India visit this mela.
Me-Dum-Me-Phi
The most
important Ahom festival which deserves mention
is the Me-Dum-Me-Phi, i.e., the ancestor
worship festival which is observed by the
whole Ahom community. This is performed
annually on the 31st of January at some
common venue. This in a way helps to develop
social contacts and community feelings among
the Ahoms. Colourful processions with devotees
in traditional finery are also taken out
on the occasion.
Jonbeel
Mela
This spectacular
fair(mela) is held every year during winter
at Jonbeel of Jagiroad, a lesser known township
only 32 kms from Guwa hati.
A few days before the mela, tribes like
the Tiwas, Karbis, Khasis, Jaintias from
the Meghalaya hills come down with their
various products for this mela. On the occasion
of the 'mela' a big bazar is held here where
these tribes exchange thier products with
local people in barter system which is very
rare in a civilized modern society.
Before
the 'mela' they perform fire worship or
agni puja for the well being of mankind.
It is to be noted that during this mela
the 'govaraja' or the king of the Tiwa trbe
along with his courtiers visit this mela
and collect taxes from his subjects. The
significant point of this mela is its theme
of harmony and brotherhood amongst various
tribes and communities. During the 'mela'
these communities perform their traditional
dances and music to celebrate the mela in
a befitting manner.
Baishagu
Famous
for its myriad colours and merriment, 'Baishagu'
is generally celebrated by the Bodo Kacharis
during mid April. It is the most cherished
festival of the Bodo tribe. The Bodos also
celebrate it as a springtime festival at
the advent of the new year.
 The
first day begins with worship of the cow.
The next day which synchronises with the
first day of the month of 'Bohag' of the
Assamese almanac, the actual merriment begins
with the young people of each household
reverentialy bowing down to their parents
and elders. The supreme deity 'Bathou' or
Lord Shiva is worshipped during the festival
by offering chicken and rice beer. In the
Baishagu dance there is no age or sex bar,
all are welcome to join in. The traditional
musical instruments that are used in this
dance festival are 'Khum' (drum), 'Jotha'
(Manjari), 'Khawbang' (Taal), 'Gogona' (Mouth-organ)
and 'Siphung' (Flute) etc. It is also customary
at the time of closure of the Baishagu festival
to offer community prayers at a particular
place called 'Garjasali'.
Bohaggiyo
Bishu
This is
the most fascinating spring festival of
the Deoris of Assam, one of the four divisions
of the Chutiyas, who are believed to have
been members of the great Boro race. The
term 'Bishu' might have originated from
the Chutiya word 'Bishu'. 'Bi' means extreme
and 'Su' means 'rejoicing' like other Springtime
tribal festivals.
Bohaggiyo
Bishu is also observed during mid-April
at a stretch for seven days withunrestricted
joy and merrymaking. It is to be observed
that the Deoris Bishu do not always fall
on the Sankranti Day. The Bishu must be
preceded by a 'Than puja' and evidently
it must start on a Wednesday. There is much
socio-religious significance and arrangements
to be made before the puja. Once in every
four years a white buffalo is sacrificed
which is considered a substitute for the
traditional human sacrifice. The Deodhani
dance is the most important and significant
part of the festival. Husori or carol song
party is the main attraction.
Rajini
Gabra & Harni Gabra
The annual
festival of the colourful Dimasa tribe.
It is exclusively a socio-religious festival
which is generally observed before starting
a new cultivation. Rajini Gabra is celebrated
during day time. The 'Kunang' or the village
headman propitiates the family deity by
closing the village gate on the worship
date. On the same night in a function called
'Harni Gabra', the presiding deity is worshipped
for the protection and welfare of the people.
It is
very interesting to note that during the
Rajini Gabra and Hami Gabra festival if
any outsider enters the village inspite
off seeing the closed gate, the entire function
is considered to be spoilt. The intruders
then have to bear the total cost for holding
the festival anew.
Rongker
and Chomangkan
Rongker
and Chomangkan are the two most important
festivals of the Karbis, an indeginous tribe
of Karbi Anglong.
Rongker
is basically a springtime festival of merriment
and is performed at the beginning of the
New year, i.e. April. To propitiate different
gods and goddesses f or
the well being of the entire village, the
elderly male folk organise Rongker so thatpeople
can be free from diseases and natural calamities
for the entire year. They pray for a good
harvest too. The women are not allowed to
enter the worship arena during this festival.
On the
other hand, Chomangkan is the festival dedicated
to the dead. It is primarily a death ceremony.
There is no particular time for holding
this funeral ceremony. It depends upon the
convenience of the locality. This festival
is a must for every Karbi. It is a nonstop
four days and four nights celebration.
Ali-Ai-Ligang
Ali-Ai-Ligang,
the spring fe stival
of the Mishing Tribe is the most colourful
festival held every year on the first Wednesday
(Ligange lange) of the month of 'Ginmur
Polo' (February-March). 'Ali' means root,
seed; 'Ai' means fruit and 'Ligang' means
sow. That is why 'ceremonial' sowing of
paddy starts on this day. A dance is performed
by the young boys and girls, characterized
by brisk stepping, flinging and flapping
of hands and swaying of hips reflecting
youthful passion, reproductive urge and
joie-de-vivre.
"Poro
Aapong" or rice beer, Pork and dried fish
is essential for the feast. The festival
continues for five days and during this
festival certain taboos with respect to
the cutting of trees, fishing, ploughing,
burning jungles etc. are strictly observed.
Baikho
There
is another colourful tribe in Assam, known
as Rabhas. Although the Rabha community
does not have any national festival of their
own, the different groups celebrate their
own festivals. The 'Baikho' or the Springtime
festival is only celebrated to propitiate
the goddess of wealth 'Baikho'. But unfortunately
the pomp and grandeur of Baikho are not
to be seen nowadays in the villages.
Dosa
Thoi! Long Nai
This is
a very important religious dance performed
at the 'Bathou Puja' or worshipping of God-Shiva.
In this dance the priestess called Deodini
dances with a bowl of blood of a sacrificed
fowl on her head. It is believed that while
the Deodini performs this dance in a trance,
Lord Bathou (Shiva) will snatch away the
bowl and drink the blood.
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