As Assam celebrated Rongali Bihu on Saturday, devotees at the ‘Auniati Satra’, Majuli’s historic Vaishnavite Monastery, observed the state’s most colourful festival in their own unique way, by playing in the mud.
The 370-year-old tradition of playing with the mud during the Bihu festivities is called the ‘Buka Bihu’ or ‘Buka Khel’, and is largely believed that the practice helps one in keeping them free from various dermatological problems throughout the year.
The devotees at Auniati Satra regard mud as a symbol of peace and apply it to each other in a very playful manner.
“Keeping this tradition alive for the past 370 years, we celebrate the Buka Khel at Majuli’s Auniati Satra on the first day of the Assamese new year. We play with the mud in a very joyous way. The tradition of Buka Khel began on the day of the Auniati Satra’s existence. Buka Khel is the attraction of the Auniati Satra,” said a devotee.
Majuli, one of the world’s largest inhabited river islands, has several Satras, some dating back to the 16th century. The Satras are not just monasteries, but centers of traditional performing arts.
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Rongali Bihu Festivities Go On For Entire Month In Assam
Meanwhile, on the first day of the month of Bohag, the Assamese New Year, people across the state visited temples to offer their obeisance.
People also visited their relatives to seek blessings from the elders in the family and offer them the traditional ‘Gamosa’ as a mark of respect.
Although Rongali Bihu, which is also known as the Bohag Bihu, is a seven-day-long festival, celebrations continue for the whole month of Bohag, with various stage cultural programs and functions organised by the Bihu committees across the state.
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