Guwahati/Dibrugarh: Despite a confluence of somber circumstances — the loss of beloved singer Zubeen Garg, weeks of unseasonal rain and the lingering fatigue of an assembly election — the people of Assam are refusing to let the festive spirit of Rongali Bihu be extinguished.Celebrations will begin in Guwahati on Tuesday with traditional spirit, though stage events will remain subdued in memory of Zubeen.Rongali Bihu, or Bohag Bihu, marks the Assamese New Year and begins on the last day of Chaitra. The first day, known as Goru Bihu, is dedicated to cattle. On this day, especially among farming communities, cattle are taken to rivers and water bodies for a ceremonial bath, marking the formal beginning of the Bihu season.Zubeen Garg’s death has cast a shadow over this year’s festivities, with several Bihu committees either scaling down or cancelling programmes in his memory in various parts of the state. However, some organisersare proceeding with their events and will dedicate Wednesday’s programmes to Zubeen.“We will celebrate in memory of Zubeen da, who stood for creativity and cultural promotion. The mood is not like previous years, but we are moving ahead with the Bihu programmes to encourage young talent,” said Simanta Thakuria, general secretary of Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan.For many, celebrating Bihu without Zubeen feels incomplete, his absence a silence louder than any drum.“Zubeen da was synonymous to Rongali Bihu for us. His songs are what made the season feel alive. This year, when his songs play at the programmes, there will be tears alongside smiles. But I think he would have wanted us to celebrate — that’s who he was,” said Muktamoni Hazarika, a resident of Dibrugarh.Adding to the muted build-up has been a month of relentless unseasonal rain that has disrupted rehearsals and dampened preparations. Yet the spirit of Bihu, it seems, is proving resilient.At the heart of that resilience is noted Bihu exponent Jiten Das, who has been tirelessly imparting training to hundreds of young men and women in the art of Bihu Husori — traditional troupe performances where groups visit homes, sing Bihu songs, and perform in courtyards as a mark of blessing.“No matter what challenges come — rain, elections or grief — Bihu must go on. That is the message I give my students. Bihu is not just a festival, it is our identity, our soul. When young people perform Husori in someone’s courtyard and the elders watch with joy in their eyes, that is something no sorrow can take away,” said Jiten Das.
