Assamese create a piece of home in city for Bihu

The city’s Assamese community, including several young IT professionals on Saturday converged at the Freedom International School playground in HSR Layout to celebrate the spring festival of ‘Bohang Bihu’.

With the Assam Society of Bangalore (ASOB) rolling out the 20th edition of its spring festival this month, the community marked Bohang Bihu or Rongali Bihu with a dazzling array of dances and cuisine from the ‘Seven Sister’ states of Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Assam.

Tunes from the traditional folk instruments and a concert by singer-composer Zubeen Garg left many with memories of home.

While 30 performers presented the Husori dance on one side, participants of the Bihu kuwori competition busied themselves amid those checking out the traditional mekhela savor and gohona on display at the flea market, even as the aroma of northeastern food wafted in from the 15 eateries that did busy business.

Avoiding an arduous journey home for the festival season, nearly 3,000 Assamese from across South India made it to the ground here. “We certainly miss the festival back home,” said Shanthi Tummala who lives in Shivajinagar. “But the celebration here fills our hearts with joy.” Over the past five years of her stay in Bengaluru, Shanthi could go home for the festival only twice. “This is my third new year in the city. I can’t have enough."