Posts

Showing posts with the label Bohag Bihu

Chador-mekhela, drums, keyboard, guitar, cultural activists, bihu and Being Assamese

Image
Courtesy: Raul de la Nuez Recently, in one of the Bihu functions (April, 2015), one of the leading female singers of Assam was not allowed to sing for not wearing Chador Mekhela by the committee members. (Chador-mekhela is the traditional Assamese dress worn by women.) What I feel personally in that case, even the male singers, including Papon, Zubben, should be asked to wear Dhoti-Kurta or ban them too. Why this unfairly prejudiced view? And all the committee members also should be wearing Dhoti-Kurta or Chador-Mekhela all the time. Do they? Embarrassing moment for Assam and Assamese culture. This is not culture, This is not Bihu. I understand that cloths are integral part of any culture; but cloths alone can't defy culture. If one has to follow one of the cultural aspects with full devotion, he has to follow everything with complete honesty and sincerity. That means, if one has to wear mekhela-chador to defy bihu, she can't actually use keyboard, guitar or drums in bih...

Rongali Bihu celebrations in Bangalore (event photography)

Image
The spirit of spring came alive in Bangalore with Bohag Bihu celebrations organized by the Assam Association of Karnataka . The festive occasion amalgamated Assamese people from all corners of Bangalore adorning traditional attires to savor their traditional delicacies. The fĂȘte also had Bihu dances, Kanada folk dances, a fashion show displaying mekhela sador and musical performances - including some groovy solos by noted singer Sinchan Manohar Dixit. Bihu dancers at Rongali Bihu festival in Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka) Bihu dancer at Rongali Bihu festival in Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka) Bihu dancer at Rongali Bihu festival in Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka) Model displaying Assamese 'mekhela sador' at Rongali Bihu festival in Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka) Singer Sinchan Dixit at Rongali Bihu festival in Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka) Bihu dancers at Rongali Bihu festival in Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka) Models displaying A...