Bhogali Bihu lights up Majuli’s satras with faith, tradition & unity

Majuli, Jan 14: Majuli’s historic satras marked Bhogali Bihu on Wednesday with traditional rituals and spiritual observances, carrying forward a 500-year-old Vaishnavite legacy rooted in the teachings of Srimanta Sankardev and Madhavdev.

At the historic Uttar Kamalabari Satra, devotees observed Bhogali Bihu by following age-old traditions, touching the sacred fire of the meji and chanting Haridhwani to seek spiritual purification and collective well-being.

The six historic Udaseen satras of Majuli also marked the harvest festival with a series of religious programmes. Following the lighting of the meji, rituals such as Naam Kirtan, Guru Seva, Bhakat Seva, Naam Seva and the offering of respects to scholars were conducted in keeping with long-established customs.

Meanwhile, day-long celebrations were held at the Auniati and Dakshinpat satras, where Sattriya traditions, Gayan-Bayan, Ojapali and Naam Kirtan formed the centrepiece of the observances. Local residents participated actively in the rituals.

Speaking on the significance of Bhogali Bihu, the Satradhikar of the historic Dakshinpat Satra, Nanigopal Dev Goswami, underscored the central role of culture in sustaining society.

“A community can never survive by abandoning its culture. It is within culture that a community’s heritage and the process of community-building are beautifully reflected,” Goswami said.

Emphasising the importance of Bihu in Assamese identity, he said the festival plays a defining role in shaping the collective way of life.

“When we speak of Assamese culture, we must inevitably speak of Bihu. Without Bihu, the Assamese community cannot survive,” he added.

Referring to the spiritual and social significance of Bhogali Bihu, observed on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, Goswami said the festival symbolises equality and unity.

“This day brings equality and removes social barriers, which is why the tradition of eating together exists. Among the 33 crore forms of God, we worship Agni, the god of fire. Without Agni, a community cannot survive,” he said.

Highlighting the age-old custom of lighting the meji, Goswami added, “Lighting the meji is an inseparable part of Assamese culture. At Dakshinpat Satra, we have followed this tradition for centuries, and even today we offer our obeisance to the god of fire.”

Known as the festival of feasting, Bhogali Bihu was observed across all 35 satras of the river island and in surrounding villages through age-old customs.