Magh Bihu…..It’s Irresistible…..It’s Nostalgic

At around 2 in the afternoon, I got a call from my wife asking about what should be the  menu for dinner. She informed  that she had  invited few of our friends to celebrate Bihu (Uruka) and Lohri together. On Uruka’s night, Assamese people have the most delicoious dinner of the year. So, a big-fat Uruka menu was decided over phone. Before disconnecting the phone, she informed that everything was arranged including the firewood, the only instruction was to reach home on time. Hearing the arrangement of food and firewood, brought back memories of celebrating Uruka (Magh Bihu) 30 years ago.

Exactly 30 years 7 days ago…..   

 

Moon, informed that there are plenty of hay at the hill top in front of his house. Subul, Suruj and Luit was falling short of quality hay. In the last three days they could gather only five bundle of paddy straws from Ron da’s pathar (paddy field) and that too of very short size. That year Ron da’s men had cut the paddy crop at the edge, leaving no scope for cutting further straws. If in the next few days Subul, Suruj and Luit could not gather at least 15-20 bundle of hay, their first ever attempt of building a Bihu Ghar would end in failure. Till a year before, Subul’s dauta( father)  would build one for them. So, next day on Moon’s advice, the team armed with sharp knife (kasi) climbed the Hill just after dawn. Within minutes the trio came down the hill jumping, shouting and yelling. Instead of finding hay, honey bees found them…!

Days before the annual marks sheet with the remarks “passed with grace marks……….promoted to class V ” reaches my parents,  we used to get busy with collecting straws for making the Bihu Ghar. In Assam annual exams were held in December and new session starts in January after Magh Bihu giving us enough time to plan our Bihu celebration. Luit, Suraj and I (subul) were in one team desperately trying to make the best Bihu Ghar in our locality at Kolibari. This was the only time we prefer to skip the cricket matches and devote more time on Bihu preparation.

Already Hiranya da and Matu Baidew promised three bhuluka bamboo from their orchard. From Luit house we will manage the remaining. The only problem was with the hay. With no other option remaining, we decided to take a second attempt at the hill, this time from the rear side, with our face covered with Gamusha. The plan was to cut as much hay as possible and make small bundles so that it become easier to carry. We gave the best shot of our life and succeeded in making 20 bundle. Alternatively, two of us took turn to carry the bundle to Suruj home and one stand guard at the hill. After our successful adventure we were expecting some nice scolding at home for skipping breakfast but the actual torture came through itching while taking bath. Only kids who have the experience of taking bath after playing with dry straw can identify with the itching. Even today I carry some of the itching from those days.

Using two shiprang (the tool used to dug holes) we dug the 9 holes. The strongest bamboo were mounted at the corners.  The remaining were used to make the roof and the walls. We put enough hay in making the roof. Even if it rains, we will be able to withstand it. The difficult part was  making the walls strong. Since, the hay collected from the hill were comparatively light, we gave double coating in making the walls.

With only a day left for Uruka, suddenly we realized we were falling short of hays. Suruj insisted that we shall keep one side completely open as door. But, Luit was in no mood to compromise. We can buy few bundles but who will pay Rs 2 for each bundle. We decided to approach Bon Borta, our uncle, who never say no to the kids demand. But, we  already exhausted Bon Borta’s “Alaudin Lamp” for that week by asking for a cricket ball few days back. Just, when we were discussing a way ahead, we saw Moon coming in his cycle. He offered us five bundle of hay provided he is allowed to open the innings for the next five cricket matches we plan to play with police reserve team. It was a perfect win-win bargain to which we readily agreed.

Finally, one day before Uruka our Bihu ghar was ready. We had stocked enough firewood for the next two days. As soon we lit the fire in the evening, Moina borta entered first. He made sure that we keep safe distance from the fire and handed over a Rs 5 note to have Morton. Tuni borta came next. As usual he started with his round of question “from where you got the bamboo?”, “from where you got the straws?”, “what is the menu for dinner tomorrow?”. Before leaving, he gave us a packet of Lizzat papad. We quickly hide it in one corner. Jitu da, Mantu da, Dipu da, Akaman da, Rakhal da, Santanu da, Gopal da all took turn to enter our Bihu ghar. They spend some time around the fire, decided on the menu for next day and shared stories of Bihu from their childhood.

 From the portico of Suruj house, Baptin uncle (Suruj father), Bharat uncle (Luit Father) and my father would observe our activities, rapping themselves with an ariya sadar (warm cloths). They would sit for hours together discussing about fish, flower, football and agriculture. Our 85 years Aita ( grandmother ) too come to see us enjoying inside the Bihu ghar.

We too shared our own story. How we managed to build the magnificent Bihu Ghar without spending a penny. Our honey bee adventure and Moon’s timely support. It was the only time of the year we youngsters gets the credit for doing something good other than studies. We enjoy those few minutes, because no one will ask for our homework or the exam results.

Fortunately there was no Facebook and Whatsapp, to disturb our enjoyment. We devoted our complete time in the celebration of Bihu. No time lost in posing  posing for the perfect FB pic. The fun and excitement of that night, could never be  measured through the number of likes, comments and share on the FB page. It was far beyond that …..It was  priceless.

Then come Munku, Bhonji, Mausumi ba, Bibhu, Babli, Bee, Gita Khuri, Sapunti Baidew, Upama bow, Dipa bow, Meena bow, Ma, Minu borma, Eva Borma. We kept the   potatoes inside the fire hole when only three of us were there. But by the time when the potatoes got roasted the gathering become large depriving us from getting a lion share. At that time Maini Borma enter and said  “Bhogai khalay ati jai, akolay khalay kami jai” (There won’t be any shortage if you share your food and if you have alone there will always be shortage). As a fifth  standard student I would always wonder, how on earth that can be possible, keeping in mind the roasted potatoes which were meant for only three of us and had to be shared between 15 person. As the ladies left, our other friends would join us to discuss the next day “theft adventure”.

As a custom in Assam, on Uruka’s night , young boys and girls steals vegetables from neighbour’s garden and eat them in the Bihu Ghar. In our case, our most easy target was always my father’s own vegetable garden. The next target was Akoman da’s garden. On the night of Uruka, Akoman da would leave Hanuman, his trusted lieutenant with us, to keep an eye on our movement. Hanuman, was of our age and he was found of eating morton( toffee). So, we would give him morton and ask him to take care of the potato’s inside the fire and we go out to steal vegetables from Akoman da’s vegetable garden.  Sapunti baidew’s house  was our third target, we liked it most because of plenty of  fresh green peas in her kitchen garden.  Our modus-operandi was to enter these houses at the time when all family members were busy watching “Buniyaad” the famous serial in Doordarshan. Sometimes we also did some other mischief like exchanging the name plate of a Doctor’s house  with Bandar bidi add, sticking a black tape  on the calling bell, stealing chicken from neighbour’s house and many more.

The Uruka night was always full of excitement and adventure. Everyone share jokes most of which were real life experiences mainly centred around our experience with Tuni borta, starting with “abar ki hol…….”.The party stops only after a  final call from father, to pack off for the night “etiya xui ja, ratipuwa jaldi uthiba lagiba”( Now go to sleep, you have to wake up early in the morning)

Next morning, on the day of Magh Bihu, before sunrise we would take bath and get ready wearing a dhoti and gamucha. Shivering under the cool winter wind, we all torch a bundle of dry bamboo, take three round around the Bihu Ghar and lit it with fire. The Bihu Ghar, so affectionately build in the last 10 days goes down in flame within minutes. The heat from the burning straws and bamboos give us the much need relief on that January morning. Our mother’s would prepare prasad to be offered to fire God by reciting a hymn from the Vedas…”Agni pajalitong banday……”

Today, even after 30 years, I could not remember the prayer. Every year on the day of Magh Bihu, I call Ma to recite the prayer, after lighting a fire.  That day after my wife’s call, sitting at my office, I was wondering how things has changed over the years. I left office early to reach home on time.

At night we celebrated both Bihu and Lohri with  couple of families from our society. I shared with them stories from our childhood and they were quite excited to know more about the customs and rituals of Assam. We lighted a fire and ate Lizzat papad and roasted potatoes. Both our daughters along with their friends were excited to see the fire in our balcony. They played games shouting Happy Bihu …Happy Lohri. It was altogether a new experience for the kids, like it was for me 30 years ago. The level of excitement was same only the process has changed. Looking at the kids happy, I felt content. After dinner our neighbours thanked us for giving them the opportunity  to celebrate Bihu together. I too felt happy for getting the opportunity  to celebrate Bihu with  families who have never been to Assam.  After dinner I and my wife spent some time near the fire discussing stories from our childhood. The kids fell asleep on our lap. Looking at them my wife said, “They are quite lucky, they get to celebrate festivals from two states”. Happily we all went to bed. 

Abhijit Bhattacharya

ongc.abhijit@gmail.com