Assamese
Bihu and Kamtapuri Bishuwa: A comparative Study in Perspective of Antique Ethno-cultural
aspect
Sujan Barman
Introduction:[1.0]
Social culture is related with the
core of human society as well as with the planet Earth and with the solar
system, too. The Creator is related with the created. Here Bihu of Assam and
Bishuwa or Bishama are two examples of a cunnecting links between the creator
and the created being observed from time immemorial. Assam is a state now which
was once a part of the ancient Kamrupa. And Kamtapur which was also a main part
of ancient Kamrupa, and later was a great dominant kingdom bearing the residue
of the great histo-cultural essence of the vast ancient Kamrupa. Assam being a
state itself, has been successful to keep its seperate identity; but Kamtapur
being now a dependant part of Bengal has failed to show its originality. Thus
Bishuwa or Bishama has not been highlighted with its originality. Now in this
article it will be shown in short as compared with the Bihu of Assam.
Meanig of Bihu or Bishuwa: [2.0]:
Bihu comes from ‘Bishub’[Bishua>Bihuw>”Bihu” in Assam(with the Assamese)] and Bishama comes from Bishub[Bishub> bishuwa in Kamtapur(with
the Rajbanshis)]. So Bihu and Bishuwa are same in origin which is related to the cosmic
relation of the earth. The cosmology was developed by the Medes( The Old middle
Persian). Atharva was the greatest Rhishi after whose name the last Veda was named( Atharva Veda).
The primaval father, the Rhitwik of
the world and the first kindler of fire and the first performer of ‘Yajna’, the Rhishi Atharva lived in Kamrupa. He was the greatest amongst all of the Median sages
of astronomy or jyotish. Kamrupa was “Prachinang Jyoti” (Prag-jyotisha), the place of ancient jyitisha
enlightened by the wisdom of the Median sages.
Thus Prag-jyotish was one of the
great ancient city of cosmological development. Cosmology and religion, i,e,
the universe and the human being, in a word the theology of the creation and
the created was developed in very early times in middle Asia in Babylon, and perhaps in immediate
later times, as well as in Kamrup. Ancient human communication was made along the Silk route. This silkroute
entered India through the river Brahmaputra in the east and the Sindhus in the
west from the countries of middle Asia. Thus in the east of India the
communication among the people of Babylon, Persia, Perthia, Middle Persia was occurred in the early times of human civilization. Moreover the
North-western part of Ancient Kamrupa is connected with the eastern bounadry of
Kashmir.And so through the east and also through the west Kamrupa was connected
with Middle Asia. From Lasha of Tibet another route goes to middle Asia. The
River Brahmaputra originates from near the Brahmalok(Manas sarabar); And from
the West side of this Manas Sarabar the River Sindhu (which was also called
Brahmaputra) originated. Thus the
Aryabarta extends the land between the Sagar of North-west(Sindhu) and the
Lohit Sagar(Brahmaputra) in the East.
Kinds of Bihu of Assam:[3.0]:
I)
Kangali Bihu:
Kangal means ‘want,
scarcity’. In the time of the month of Kati,in
the scarcity of food, this Bihu Utsav is held. Therefore it is called Kangali Bihu. It is
also called Kati Bihu. The granaries of the people are empty. Corns are in the
field being grwon with prosperous dream. On the day of Aswin Sankranti
earthen lamps or “Sakis’ are
lit in the paddy field, in the Garden, under the Tulsi plant etc. The paddy being
grwon in the fiel is the main goal of the cultivators. So the cultivators try
to protect it. And thus the reciting of chants of rowa-khowa has come in voque. The ‘Akashbati” is also lit to show the light to the
souls of the menes to go the heaven. The Bodo people light
lamps at the foot of the siju (Euphorbia neriifolia) tree.
II)
Bhogali Bihu
Bhogali Bihu means a bihu of
Bhog(enjoyment). Bhog means to enjoy, to eat. This is the Harvest festival.
This is the festival joy of eating several kinds of food made with the corps
harvested at that time. On the day called uruka, i.e., the last day
of pausa, people generally the young men go to the open field or near a river and
make a Bhelaghar, a temporary cottage.
The men-folk, more particularly young men go to the
field, preferably near a river, build a makeshift cottage called Bhelaghar with straw of
harvested crops. they make merriment singing Bihu songs and playing games. The
boys go about stealing firewood and vegetables for fun. Next day early in the
morning they bathe in the river and burn the cottage(meji). Gathering round the
Meji they throw Pithas as offering to the Fire-God. Through out the
day different kinds of game and merriment continues.
III)
Rangali Bihu Or Bohag Bihu:
Bohag Bihu occurs in the mid-April. It is also
called Rongali Bihu. Bohag comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Baishākh’ and Bihu from Bishuba.It is the first day of
Hindu Calendar. It is the day of joy and feasting. Different kinds of foods are
made like Pithā, lāru, jalpān
etc. The first day is called ‘Garu Bihu on which the cows are cared with
special function of washing and worshipping. The second day(the 1st day of the
Year) is called Mānu Bihu.
All become dressed up with new clothes. The third day is called Gasai Bihu, ie,
the day of worships to
the Gods of households. Thus the next Bihus (of the Xāt Bihu)are called Kutum Bihu, Senehi Bihu, Melā Bihu and Chera Bihu.
This Rongali Bihu is actually the Bihu of
Fertility. This season marks the fertility of the earth. And thus womenfolk specially
the young girls, show thier fertile gesture or movement, through dance and other
performances of merriment.
Bishuwa or Bishama of Kamtapur:[4.0]:
I)
Bhogā :
Bhogā is the first ritual of Harvest festival. Kharib crops
commences with sowing ritual of “Gochipunā” in July(Asharh). During this period of two months work
of sowing continues in full scale. If any case of late sowing occurs it
continues upto 13th Bhādra. At the end of Ashwin paddy plant
become replete with paddy-stick newly sprouted. And it starts to come out in
one or tows with smile of the farmers. And thus the welcome ritual starts with Bhogā. Bhog means the act of holy eating
of rice to survive. Bishnu is the prime God of mankind. He is the Sun, the
Supreme power of the solar system. And he is Indra in religio-political
representations. This Bhoga ritual occurs in respect of Bishnu or Indra.
Lakshmi is the wife or ‘Bhagavati’( who has bhaga,
Yoni). Paddy is the product of Bhaga(Yoni, Bhumi, Prithibi, Earth). With ‘bhogā’ ritual paddy is dedicated to the bhog(
rice offerings) of Bishnu or Indra. And Paddy plant with out-coming paddy sticks
is worshipped burning a ‘bhoga’, a ghee fueled torch(mashāl). A jute-stick is twined with jutefibres at its
one end. And then it is wetted with ghee and lighted. Old Iranian God of light
is Mithra(in Avesta). This Mithra is Mitra in the Veda. And this Mitra is the ‘Mitar’ of
the Rajbanshis. This Mithra or Mitra, as
per the Old Persian Myth was born with a knife in His right hand and a Torch( মশাল) in His left hand.
This torch( মশাল)lighted
as ‘Bhogā’ is a sysmbol of Torch of Mitra.
This ‘Bhoga’ ritual
is followed by some goodwishes which are uttered loudly as hopefull chant like 1) “
Sagāre dhān Auljhāul, āmār dhān sidāy chāul.
2) Nāurā Dhāner Kāurā shish, ækta shϊshe bārobish.
This ritual is also called ‘Kāti Gachā’(Lighting to the Month Kati. This is celebrated
at the end of the month Aswin; and as the welcome to the month Kati. Kati is a
moth heralding good crops ahead. This month has some religious importance. The lighting
lamps of ‘pānchkhol’( an edible
sour fruit of which five shells cover the seeds inside) in the houses and in the Gardens and paddy
feild at the last day of Aswin is just
like a farewell
function to aswin and welcoming ceremony to Kartik, the month of
religous rituals of Vaishnava faith like Kirtan and Bhog-rāgs. Akashbati like in assam, is another lighting ritual. This akāshbtāi acts as the symbol of torch showing the manes
their way to the heaven. at the last day of Kartik this akashbati is taken down
with religious performance of Kirtan held all through the night and the Vishnu
Bhog on the next day..
After Kāti, Ǎgan(Agrahayan) comes with fullsacale harvest
work. The eighth day of Agan starts taking Aag(Welcoming ritual to paddy(as Lakshmi).
The ceremonial sweep of sickle upon the ripe Paddy-plant is called ‘Ǎag’(আগ). This is a part of the Harvest festival which ends with
the big feast and social function of Pushnā. Tha word Pushnā means the function of the month push. The word comes
directly from the vedic ‘pushan’, the God of nourishment. The power of giving
nourishment(pushti) to human being as well as to all creature is called Pushan or Pushā or Push. This month ‘push’ provides all of its cares, caresses and elixir to human
being and all other beings too. And so the human being offers homage to the allmighty Vishnu. The Harvest festival starts with Bhoga.
As it is a homage to the Lord Indra and thus the God Vishnu,
the whole month Kati is the month for offering ‘Bhog” to Lord Bishnu. In
the ‘Pungal’ (the Harvest festival) also the Bhog is offered to the Lord
Indra, which occurs in the Makar Sankranti.
The Vaishnav rituals like Bratas are
observed, Kirtan, and specially the ‘Astaprahar’(randam singing of
kirtan for ‘āt pahar’(twentyfour hours, আট পহর) is held.
In this month the great Vaishnaba festival
Rash is held. The Rashpurnima gives an special enthusiasm to the people. Specially
from this time the Kamta Vashnaba cultural drive of ‘Dotora pala’ runs in full scale.
“Bhaktism owed its origin to the stream of thought which
began with Upanishad and culminated in the east, in Buddhism and Jainism.------
It arose about the same time in the west among the Satvatas, a branch of one
Yadavas who settled in the Mathura region.-[RC Majumdar, Ancient India].
As Vaishnavaism
has culminated in the East and West- in Kamrupa and Mathura, the Madan Mohan
was first worshipped in Kamrupa (Cooch Behar) and in the Western India. Bhagavati
of Boda who was known as Bodheswari was the center of Bhagavatism. Mithila and
Kamrupa were in the same religio-cultural and political circumference. Sita (meaning
land or land furrow) was the Vagavati(the Devi having Vaga, Yoni).
II)
Pushnā or Makar
Sankranti:
The
greatest point of harvest festival of the Kamtapuris is the Pushna.
The first day of the Pushna(Makar Sankranti) festival is very important
which is called ‘Gabar(গাংবার)’ in Kamtapur. The word derives from the Old Persian word ‘Gahambar’ which bears the resemblence of festive
occasion of harvest mood. In the Old Persia, the Zorastrians were the followers
of this festive Occasions Gahambar. Ghābārs were of six seasonal festivals of which the winter
seasonal Gahambar might have been the best one. This winter or Harvest Festival
Gahambar has somehow an influence on Kamtapuri Pushnā Festival of Bhog, giving offerings to Vishnu and
also enjoying the same by offerers themsevles.
Gahambar etyomologically has resemblances
with Sanskrit ‘Grahan’(Collection).
Harvesting is itself collection of crops
or corns.
In the Yasna and Visperad of Gatha
Six Gahambars are mentioned in connection with ‘Vaire’meaning
solar year(Avesta).
In Pahlavi ‘Gasanbar’ means Gahambar. ‘Gasa’
means division. So six solar division are the six seasons. And there are six
Gahambars. And the most important Gahambar is the Makar Sankranti
or Pushnā.The
Term Push comes from the the Vedic God Pushan who nourishes the
human being with his blessings of good crops. So this Push Month is
important with its important harvest festival of Gahambar.
In
Kamtapuri this Gahambar becomes Gabar, the day before
Makar Sankranti. The Pushnā is
generally to all as the name of the ceremony. As per the meaning of Gahambar
denoting seasonal division, it is the name of the Sankranti and of Bishava(Vishuwa)
All the rituals of harvest festivals and of
Samkrantis or of Solar movement are related with the Greatest power of this
movement ie, the Godhās’(the
mover of the Go(Solar System). This Sun-worship is the result of Persian
influence[Discovery of North-East India,pp-202]. And this Gabar is another
important Persian resemblance of old cultural ethnic identity.
The House wives make
wholescale cleanliness of the houses; and the walls of the houses are marked
with ‘swastika’ and
other pious symbols. The cows are washed well to make prepared for tomorrow’s
holy occasion of cake feast.
On this Gabar day ends the
ritual collection of alms(rice money etc) from the houses of the villages. This
ritual collection of alms is called ‘Thākur māgā’(begging alms for Gods(Thakurs) singing
songs on praise of the diety itself) . These Thakurs are Sonā Roy, Gorakshanāth, Yakhā ( or Burāburi). These Gods are
worshipped with the alms collected. The
groups of collecting alms sing the songs on praise of Sona Roy like:
Satya Thākur Sonā Roy/ Gārastok Dæo he bar.
Dhane Bashe Bāruk Giri ohe Chandra Dibākar.
Goyālit Bāruk garu bhāndārot dhān
Dewāni darbāre giri pāuk phulopān
Sonā Roy is the Satya Thākur (Prime God) representing Vishnu and Indra. He is prayed
for giving blessings to the Householders to have been grown up with riches
and descendants of Chandra Vansha and Surya Vansha. Let
cows be grwon up in
cowsheds and paddy in stores. Let the Householders be respected
(with offering of Guwa-pan) in the area under their jurisdiction. Gorakshanath,
the Go-raksha(keeper of Cows, deified as Vishnu or Shiva) is the
holy saint representing Yoga and austerities of religion. The
word ‘Go’actually
stands not for Cows, but for the Sun, the Solar system, the earth etc. The God
who is the Keeper(Raskak) or propeller of the solar system is called Go-rakshak.
Krishna or Vishnu is the Go-Rakshak, Gopal(Gopalak), Godhas(Propeller of Go)
Goswami(master of the Solar System). In Mytholoyg He has been personified
as a simple Cowherd(Go-rakshak) as per the word “Go” meaning cow, supressing
the real meaning. The boys, in groups, go from house to house singing the song
on Gorskshanath ;
Ailo
re arane Māo
lakshmi Charane; Māo
Lakshami dibe bar dhān
kari bāir
kar.----
On
the day before Gabār this
act of begging alms ends. The boys then worship Gorakshanath and spend the
night in the temporary hut made of straw and sing Kirtan; in later times, of
course, this kirtan is followed by singing song of merry Bhawaya. and also
playing songs in mikrophones. The mode is always the same of making merryment
with religious rites and festivity.
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