The Spring Time Festival ‘Baikho’ in Rabha Culture: Continuity and Change

Exploring the Evolution of the Baikho Festival in Rabha Culture

Abstract

Assam the north-eastern state of India is the land of a huge number of fairs and festivals. Among the different fairs and festivals of Assam, Baikho is one of the most auspicious enchanting spring time festivals prevalent among the Rabha people of Assam. Baikho is an agricultural as well as religious festival. Rabhas considered Baikho as the Goddess of wealth and Crops, so in order to propitiate Goddess Baikho for a good harvest and to get relief from diseases as well as to bring peace, unity and prosperity to the society the Rabhas celebrate this festival joyfully during the spring time in the Assamese month of Bohag and Jeth (Mid-April). Baikho festival is also known as Khoksi puja. This festival takes place after weeks of ideal preparations. Baikho festival is celebrated by the Rabhas from the early time and still it is continued but the pomp and dedication has abridged and also the mode of celebration has changed in some aspects from that of the earlier time. The proposed study is an exploratory one. The main stress of proposed study is to bring light on the Rabha traditional cultural festival Baikho and on the recent changes occurred in the system of its celebration. Nevertheless, at the same time, the study is also an attempt to observe the process of social change through this puja. The study is based mainly on the primary data gathered from field. The field study has been carried out in Goalpara district of Assam.