Three Thousand Bihu Dancers Perform in Nalbari
Nalbari district’s Gurdon Playground witnessed a record-breaking Bihu celebration with three thousand Bihu dancers performing together for the first time.
Well, if you thought sleepy little Nalbari was all about gentle breezes and cups of lal-saah, think again! The Gurdon Playground, usually a humble patch of grass where local lads kick about and uncles gossip about fish prices, turned into a veritable festival of footwork yesterday as three thousand women dancers took to the field, shaking a leg (and several hips) in unison to the infectious rhythm of the Bihu dhol.
Yes, you read that correctly. Three thousand! That’s not a dance – that’s practically a cultural stampede!
The 55th edition of the Nalbari Mahkuma Bihu Sanmilani celebrations made quite the splash, not with puddles from April showers but with swirling mekhela chadors, flaring gamusas, and enough energy to power an entire tea estate. Folk from every lane and bylane turned up, jaws dropped, phones out, trying to capture the moment before the mobile data gave up the ghost.
Meanwhile, over at the Swahid Bhawan, the Nalbari Anchalik unit of AASU was busy with its own Bohag festivities, hosting Mukoli Bihu in full swing. The event was inaugurated by AASU president Utpal Sarma, and featured the felicitations of more than a hundred local luminaries – with traditional bihuwans draped about their shoulders like medals of honour.
It was a sight to behold – a village affair with the enthusiasm of a rock concert and the grace of a classical ballet. Except instead of tutus, we had gamusas, and instead of violins, the unmistakable rhythm of the pepa.
Let’s face it – if there’s one thing Assam does better than anyone else, it’s turning the onset of summer into a full-blown celebration of life, laughter, and legwork. And in Nalbari this year, they’ve well and truly raised the bar. Or shall we say, they’ve jolted the jolpan!
So here’s to the dancers, the drummers, and the dreamers – and to the district that just taught the rest of us how to throw a proper Bihu bash. Next year, under the floodlights, don’t be surprised if the Guinness Book decides to drop by for a cup of jolpan and a bit of record-setting revelry.
Cheerio!
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