- by Sabina Zeenat & collage by Geeti Das
The Assamese traditions came alive once again in Minnesota, USA, with a day-long Rongali Bihu celebration which took place on April 18, 2010. If 2009 Rongali Bihu in Minnesota was a blast, the 2010 Rongali Bihu was a grand affair. It was grand because of an authentic Husori show, wonderful cultural performances enhanced by a grand stage, a souvenir magazine release, traditional delicacies, superb weather and above all a full house. The log cabin of the picturesque Lions Gate Park at Shakopee, MN, which has become our hometown Bihutoli for the last few years, buzzed, bustled and hummed with Bihu music, dances and melodious sounds all day long with pepa, tal, toka and dhol, the signature Assamese musical instruments. Assamese from nearby South Dakota, Rochester and Saint Cloud joined us and their presence made the celebrations even merrier.

The Husori set the tone for the day. It was unlike all the previous years. Dressed in traditional muga sepkons & dhoti and their singing accompanied by mohor hingor pepa, the deka dol gave us a genuine flavor of a timeless tradition. It was definitely the show of the day. The other cultural performances saw active participation right from the toddlers and preschoolers to all the school aged children. They brilliantly performed their pieces whether it was the songs, the dances or the konmani mukoli bihu. The deka and the gabhoru dol impressed everybody with their melodious adhunik geet, bihu naas, mukoli bihu, jeng bihu and a hilarious one-act-play called “Gollywood Masala”. A nice addition to the Bihu venue, this year, was a newly constructed stage, built by our own DIY (Do-It-Yourself) experts, Somesh and Reza.

This year’s Bihu also saw the launch of the inaugural edition of “Bordoichila”, a souvenir magazine. This was Nilanjana Mahanta’s brainchild. From the concept to the release, Nilanjana put this 30-page magazine together in a short period of 4 weeks. Short stories, travel experiences, poetry, jokes, recipes, fond memories were penned not just by the adults but also by the budding artists and story and comic writers. See link to the online edition below.

The fabulous weather gave a boost to the fun selection of outdoor games not played here in a long time. Relay race, tekeli bhanga and of course tug of war renewed some “old rivalries”. Under the spotless blue skies and the temperatures hovering around the 70s (°F), it was a picture perfect day for our celebrations. The splendid Bihu bhuj was the perfect ending to an extraordinary day of fun and merriment.

The Minnesota Rongali Bihu celebration has grown and has become a much anticipated annual event over the years. It’s that time of the year where we all get together and celebrate a slice of our rich culture and fill our hearts and souls with youthful rejuvenation. This year’s celebrations were the best yet and we are ready to top it in 2011.