Local North East

Kherai (खेराइ)  : The religious festival of the Bodos Abstract The Bodos who believe in many gods and goddesses observe verities of rituals. These rites and rituals are mostly connected with their religion. Their religion centres round the worship of ‘Bathou Brai” or “Cibrai”. Bathou is the Chief among the gods and goddesses worshipped by the Bodos. The religious minded Bodos worship Bathou Brai during the Kherai festival. Kherai puja is believed to be the greatest religious festival of the Bodos traditionally celebrated for the welfare of both personal and everybody’s life. Keywords : Kherai, religious festival, Bodos Introduction Kherai puja is the greatest religious festival of the Bodos. It is a symbol of hope and desire, which has been prevailing among them, since the time immemorial for the welfare of the personal life, they perform Kherai puja collectively once or twice in a year. Besides welfare of both personal and public, the Kherai puja is performed for the go...

Kherai Puja  Before this festival the religious rites of the Garja are performed and consequently a date is fixed by the Bodo villagers for performing the Kherai Puja. In kherai Puja, a cactus called Bwrai Bathow surrounded by a small bamboo boundary is offered flowers, fruits and some grains. Different leaves like special grass, mango leaves and  tulsi  leaves dipped in a small pot with water is also kept nearby. The  incense  and Dhuna (coconut peel burnt in a small holder) keep on burning arousing nice fragrance. In this puja, Doudini, the oracle possessed by the Gods plays the main role. The dodini enchanted with mantras by the Deuri (priest) performs the Kherai dance in front of the cactus called Bwrai Bathow. She is accompanied by music played by men at a distance. The beat of the music has to follow the exact rhythm as taught by the Doudini beforehand.

Bathow Puja ( बाथौ फुजा)   ( Assamese :  বাথৌ পূজা ) is an important religious festival of the  Bodo - Kacharies  of  Assam ,  India . In this festival, the people worship a god known by different names like Gila Damra, Khuria Bwrai, Sri Brai (Shib bwrai), Bathow Bwrai etc. The different forms of this festival are-Garja, Kherai and Marai. Among these festivals Kherai is the most significant.

(बैसागु) Bwisagu  or Baisagu is one of the most popular seasonal festival of the  Bodos  of  Assam . In  Assamese language  it is called as  Bihu . The  Bodos  call this popular festival as Baisagu, which means the start of the new year. Baisagu is a Boro word which originated from the word "Baisa" which means year or age, ang "Agu" that means starting or start. Hence, Baisagu, the starting time of the year or age. This Baisagu festival is observed at the starting part of the first month of the  Assamese  year. Characteristics: The characteristics of the Bwisagu festivals can be classified as follows: 'Gwkha-Gwkhwi Janai' or eating bitter and sour tasted wild vegetables on the day of  Sankranti  or the day before the first day of the new year. Bathing of cattle or "Mwsou thukhwinai" Worshiping the gods and goddesses Worshiping the ancestors Merry-making and enjoyment at the entrance of the New year. Bwisagu, a...

The  Bodo  (Bodo: बर'  pronounced  [boːroː] ; also  Boro ) are an  ethnolinguistic group  in the  Indian  state of  Assam . They are a part of the greater  Bodo-Kachari  family of ethnolinguistic groups and are spread across  northeastern India  and clustered strongly in Assam, along the eastern  Duars . Bodos are politically active and dominant in the  Kokrajhar ,  Baksa ,  Udalguri ,   Chirang    and Tamulpur districts of Assam, and in the  Bodoland Territorial Council . The Bodo people speak the  Bodo language , a  Tibeto-Burman  language recognized as one of twenty-two scheduled languages in the  Indian Constitution . The Bodo-Kachari, to which the Bodo people belong, are thought to have entered Assam sometime after  Austroasiatic language  speakers from  Southeast Asia  had settled the region. [5]  The Bodo-Kachari were also ...