Bodo tribe of Assam's Udalguri celebrates Bwisagu festival

By Hemanta Kumar Nath
Udalguri (Assam) [India], April 15 : Bodo tribal people of Assam's Udalguri are celebrating the Bwisagu festival which marks the beginning of their new year.
Bwisagu is one of the most popular seasonal festivals of the Bodo tribal people of Assam.
The Bodo tribal people call this popular festival 'Bwisagu', which means the start of the new year. Bwisagu is a Bodo word that originated from the word 'Bwisa' which means year or age and 'Agu' which stands for a 'start'.
The Bwisagu festival is observed at the beginning of the first month of the Bodo year and this time it has started from April 14.

Ansuma Daimary, a local youth of Gelagaon Dhula Chuburi area of Udalguri district told ANI that, Bwisagu is a traditional festival of the Bodo people.
"Everyone in the Bodo community participated in this festival. All of us including children, youths, and elders have celebrated this festival by wearing new clothes, dancing, singing etc," Ansuma Daimary said.
According to locals, Merrymaking is an integral part of the Bwisagu festival. Music and dance are integral to this occasion.
Young men play the 'Sifung' (flute), and 'Kham' (drum), and girls dance to the tunes.
Ansuma Daimary further said that as the election fervour has gripped, the people are in a festive mood by celebrating Bwisagu.
"The situation has now changed. Earlier there was a militancy problem and now it is different. There is now a peaceful environment everywhere," Ansuma Daimary added.

Jwmwi Boro, a lady of Gelagaon Dhula Chuburi said, "This Bwisagu is our traditional festival. We are very happy to celebrate it. Every person has participated in this festival."
Notably, Udalguri district is under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).