Otikoi Senehor Bohagor Bihuti Napati Kenekoi Thaku
- Rashmi and Samar Bhuyan
Rongali Bihu celebration has always been the most awaited event for the Assamese community of The Valley of the Sun, Phoenix. A smaller assamese community comprising of 10 families lives here. This year, “Rongali Bihu Adarani” was organized on April 17, 2010 at “Snedigar Recreational Center” owned by City of Chandler located within metropolitan Phoenix area. Several family friends, originally from other parts of India and from Nepal, who live in Phoenix, were also invited to be part of this celebration. The community gathered in the early evening at one of the halls of this community center. A temporary display booth was constructed inside the hall to remind the community about its history and rich culture. The display included muga silk dresses, brass articles and jeweleries of Assam, write up of its history, tourist places, and natural resources among other things.
The program began with a few children activities that included games and art. While the bihu songs and music filled the air, the mouthwatering jolpan enriched with pithas were served. The MC for the cultural program were Chandan Das and Neon Talukdar. Program started with jatiya sangeet, O Mur Apunar Desh, followed by National anthem of India. All time melodious chorus Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s “Aah aah olai aah” was also presented. These choruses were sung by Ihtesham Chowdhury, Ankita and Neon Talukdar, Shamala and Chandan Das, Rachna and Diganta Nath, and Rashmi and Samar Bhuyan. The audience also sang along when the chorus groups sang on the stage. National anthem of US was beautifully sung by Aditya Kumar. The cultural program also included Odissi dance performed by Rachna Nath, Bihu dance performed by Nikita Bhuyan, Nepali dances performed by Samjhana and her brother Santosh Devkota, which all brought ovation from the audience. Shamala Das and Sandhya Kumar sang a very sweet Karnatic song. The 13-year olds Samjhana and Nikita also entertained the audience by making a joint comic presentation and a Bollywood comic dance.
Children including Brinda, Broto, Diya, Naveen, Neil, Rishan, Sanmaan, Sthuthi, and Yuvan showed their talents by singing, dancing, describing significance of Bihu, performing comedy act etc. Toward the end of the cultural program, Rashmi and Samar Bhuyan performed a short skit titled “Gohonor Piriti” and Satish Reddy presented a few jokes which brought laughter to the audience.
The savory bihu bhoj contributed by every family followed the cultural program. The bhoj, primarily cooked to Assamese taste, also included North and South Indian, and Nepali dishes that enriched the diversity of the menu and the celebration. The dishes included bhat, dali, masor tenga, chagoli aru murgir mangso, bengena pitika, kerela bhaji, bise bele bhat, bodi tama, etc.
The celebration was then culminated with Mukoli Bihu dance. Everyone participated by dancing in group as well as individually. Bihu night celebration without a “gorom chah” would have been incomplete. Ankita Talukdar prepared the “gorom chah” served with “teel pitha and rosogullah” at the end of the mukoli bihu. This Rongali bihu celebration was then concluded in the middle of the night with words of thanks and blessings to everyone for a successful new year.
From Top L-R, Group picture of Assamese Community of Phoenix and their friends, Mukoli bihu performed by Ankita Talukdar, Shamala Das and Rashmi Bhuyan, Rongali bihu wishes from Nikita Bhuyan and her father Samar Bhuyan during the celebration; Chorus performed by Ihtesham, Rashmi, Chandan, Neon, Ankita and Diganta; Various performances by Neil, Rishan, Samjhana and Nikita.
