As Assam soaks in Bihu spirit, cow takes centre stage

IN VILLAGES, PEOPLE BRING THEIR CATTLE TO A WATER BODY, BATHE AND MASSAGE THEM WITH A COMBINATION OF OIL, PASTE OF PULSES AND TURMERIC

At a time when cow vigilantism in several states has become a widely discussed issue, Assam’s spring festival — Bohag or Rongali Bihu got under way with the first day being dedicated to cattle.

The week-long Rongali Bihu, the first festival to be celebrated after Sarbananda Sonowal formed a coalition government led by BJP, began on Friday.

The Twitter world was bombarded with festive wishes as soon as the day dawned. A few Bihu-specific tweets in between triggered a discussion on the degree of sacredness attached to the cow in the Northeast.

“Today is 1st day of Bohag Bihu in Assam, 1st day is Cow Bihu. This may be a big surprise for many who think cow worship does not exist in NE,” tweeted Raju Das who describes self as a corporate dropout.

Some were, however, quick to point out that cattle – the backbone of a largely agrarian society – in rural areas are pampered on Goru (cow) Bihu, not revered.

“Cows and bulls are given a bath and new pogha (rope) and fed with special meal and their gohalis (sheds) are cleaned on Goru Bihu, not worshipped,” said vocalist Queen Hazarika.

Another tweet by @Oushinar said: “Well, I don’t think that they are worshipped in Cow Bihu. They are in some sense ‘honoured’.”

Bohag, Baisakh elsewhere, refers to the first month of the Assamese calendar year. But the Bihu begins from the last day of Chaitra month dedicated to upkeep of livestock and a cattle show. In villages or semi-urban areas, people bring their cattle to a water body, bathe and massage them with a combination of oil, paste of pulses and turmeric. The cattle are also fed specific vegetables. “The demand for such vegetables was so high because of Goru Bihu that a gourd sold for ₹150 apiece instead of the normal ₹25-30 while eggplants commanded up to ₹250 a kilo,” Ratan Dey, a vegetable retailer in Guwahati’s Silpukhuri area, said.

Assam governor BL Purohit and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal extended Bihu greetings. “Let this Bihu be a harbinger of a new dawn of warm and harmonious relationship and peace, prosperity and progress in the State,” the governor said in a customary message.

Sonowal wished that the festival would bring lasting peace and prosperity and strengthen mutual bonding among people.