GUWAHATI: Two Bihu committees in Shillong, the erstwhile capital of undivided Assam, will celebrate Rongali Bihu with a three-day programme from April 14.
The 1956-incepted Shillong Central Rongali Bihu Celebration Committee (SCRBCC) at Bishnupur and the Meghalaya Rongali Bihu Celebration Committee at Stoneyland (Kristi Kendra), Dhankheti, formed few years later, is set to attract a cosmopolitan crowd.
But unlike in neighbouring Assam where controversies over an alleged strict traditional dress code, or at times a “No Hindi song diktat”, have in the past surfaced and at times marred proceedings in a few Bihutolis, Rongali Bihu in Meghalaya, though confined to just a couple of committees, has remained serene over the decades.
“We do not have any codes or guidelines restricting freedom of dress or choice of song. Here we have always had a cosmopolitan crowd who share good bonding and camaraderie,” Minaram Bora, president of the finance sub-committee of SCRBCC, told The Shillong Times on Tuesday.
The committee will kick off Rongali Bihu celebrations with flag hoisting and husori at Shillong Vidyalaya in Bishnupur in the morning of April 14.
“We have lined up games for children at noon on the opening day and a cultural programme in the evening. On April 15, competitions on Assamese traditional dress, husori, go-as-you-like will be held followed by a cultural nite.”
“The Bihu Kuwori competition will commence from 10am on the concluding day while a cultural programme will be held in the evening,” Bora said.
The committee has invited two artistes, Satabdi Khatoniar and Manas Mayukh, to perform during the cultural programme.
“However, in accordance with the rules, the cultural programmes will end at 10pm sharp on all the days. Care has been taken to keep the decibel levels under control as Bishnupur is a residential area,” he said.
The committee has almost doubled its budget from last year.
“Though not quite as much, this time we have collected Rs 4lakh from contributions of members, organisations and a few banks. In the past, we could go up to about Rs 2lakh or so,” Bora said.
Though office-bearers of the Meghalaya Rongali Bihu Celebration Committee could not be contacted, the committee has lined up a packed itinerary on all the three days.
Apart from residents of Laitumkhrah, Dhankheti and Nongthymmai among other localities which are relatively closer to Stoneyland, people from Guwahati and other parts of Assam have also thronged the venue in the past.
