GUWAHATI: As Assam prepares to celebrate Bhogali Bihu, the post-harvest festival from Friday amid the Omicron threat, temples have cancelled melas and related events fearing the spread of the virus.
People across the state have begun preparing Bihu delicacies, which include a variety of indigenous cakes (pithas) prepared by using rice powder, coconut, sesame and jaggery, and constructed Bhela Ghars which is an integral part of the festival. Bhela Ghar is a makeshift hut constructed by using bamboo, banana leaves and thatch and is burnt in the early morning on the first day of the Assamese month of Magh, where people offer prayer to the fire God.
Guwahati has been flooded with a variety of delicacies, including pithas, laroos and curd. “Bora” rice, used to prepare variety of indigenous cakes during Bihu celebration, was being sold for Rs 60-70 per kg on Monday while sesame was being sold for Rs 180-200 per kg, jaggery for Rs 50-80, curd for Rs 160-180 per litre and cream for Rs 600 in the city.
The prices of the aforesaid products have dropped to some extent compared to last year. The products had seen a hike in prices last year as the markets had opened after a long time due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
The temples like Basistha in Guwahati and Hayagriv Madhav in Hajo cancelled their events related to Bhogali Bihu fearing spread of Covid-19. Basistha temple usually holds a mela called Maghi Mela and the Hayagriv Madhav temple holds Manikut Utsav during the festival.
People across the state have begun preparing Bihu delicacies, which include a variety of indigenous cakes (pithas) prepared by using rice powder, coconut, sesame and jaggery, and constructed Bhela Ghars which is an integral part of the festival. Bhela Ghar is a makeshift hut constructed by using bamboo, banana leaves and thatch and is burnt in the early morning on the first day of the Assamese month of Magh, where people offer prayer to the fire God.
Guwahati has been flooded with a variety of delicacies, including pithas, laroos and curd. “Bora” rice, used to prepare variety of indigenous cakes during Bihu celebration, was being sold for Rs 60-70 per kg on Monday while sesame was being sold for Rs 180-200 per kg, jaggery for Rs 50-80, curd for Rs 160-180 per litre and cream for Rs 600 in the city.
The prices of the aforesaid products have dropped to some extent compared to last year. The products had seen a hike in prices last year as the markets had opened after a long time due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
The temples like Basistha in Guwahati and Hayagriv Madhav in Hajo cancelled their events related to Bhogali Bihu fearing spread of Covid-19. Basistha temple usually holds a mela called Maghi Mela and the Hayagriv Madhav temple holds Manikut Utsav during the festival.
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