- By Pallabi Saikia
Photo By Sanjay Saikia
The Assamese community from the North Eastern United States gathered together to celebrate Rongali Bihu at the Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church in West Windsor NJ.
The event started at 2:00 PM with volunteers from within the community arriving earlier to setup the hall, stage and food/beverage arrangements. It was a windy and rainy day, and the initial turnout was very small. By around 4:00 PM about 50 people had arrived to join the celebrations. It seemed that the heavy rain had taken a toll and people decided to remain at home instead. Traditional Assamese delicacies were served for snacks including chira, doi, gur, narokolor laru, til pitha, narikolor pitha, ghila pitha and singra (samosa), sandesh (sweet) and hot tea. It was quite a treat for those who arrived braving the cold rain and wind.Soon the activities for the evening started with a welcome speech followed by the hoisting of the traditional Gamosa by a group of Assamese children to the rendition of Sreemoi Asomi by several Assamese residents formally opening the proceedings. This was followed by a brief and eloquent introduction of Bihu by a senior member of the Assamese community. Several fun activities like musical chairs, marble/spoon race and art/essay competition for both children and adults followed. This was followed by a Quiz/Trivia session on Assamese culture and history in which both children and adults participated.
Several ladies and gentlemen participated in the Pitha/Laru competition and Flower arrangement competition. It was a visual treat to see the intricate presentations the participants had put forth. By this time, the hall had filled almost to capacity. It was wonderful to see that the Assamese residents from the NE community had braved the bad weather and come out to participate with family and friends in the true spirit of Bihu. The attendance had reached over 175 with more people coming in every minute. The cultural program started promptly after and was a treat with a variety of performances by local artists both young and adult. Items included Bihu dances, modern dances, songs, recitals, and vocals. The highlight of the cultural program was the Husori and Mukoli Bihu where almost everyone joined to the sounds of pepa, gagana and khol. It transformed the arena into a vibrant Bihutoli no different from one back in Assam. The excitement and joy was palpable as everyone danced to the tune of Bihu geet. On completion of the cultural show, prizes were handed out for the games, art and essay, Pitha/Laru and Flower arrangement competitions held earlier. Prizes were also handed out to the members of the audience wearing best traditional Assamese dress. Several prizes were donated by members of the Assamese community.
A sumptuous dinner was then served in the spirit of Bohag Bihu. Items included traditional delicacies like khar, alu pitika, bengana pura, masor kalia, mangsho, dail, kobi bhaaji, etc. Since all the items were prepared at home by volunteers of the Assamese community, everyone was able to enjoy the home made taste and aroma. This was followed by a variety of homemade desserts like payash, ras malai, mithai, laru and pitha.
Overall it was a very successful and enjoyable event for all. In addition to New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, participants came from other neighboring North Eastern states like Connecticut, and Delaware. This event was made possible by the collective effort of the volunteers of the NE Assamese community who worked tirelessly for several weeks and the members of the community who turned out to participate despite the bad weather. It provided a great opportunity for people to meet, socialize and enjoy the evening with friends and family. On behalf of the NE USA Assamese community we wish everyone a very happy and enjoyable Rongali Bihu.
