Domahi

Domahi or Domasi and Damhi is popular harvesting festival of Kamrup and eastern Goalpara regions of Western Assam.[1][2] Festivals marks the commencement and end of harvesting season, and start and end of Kamrupi and Goalpariya new years.

Etymology

The term consists of two words "Do" which means two and "mah" or "mas" meaning month. The word 'Domahi' means the junction of two months.[3]

Types

The festival is subdivided into "Maghar Domahi" (mid January), "Baihagar or Baishakh Domahi" (mid April) and "Katir or Kartika Domahi" (mid October). Astronomically Baihagar Domahi is associated Vernal equinox, Kati Domahi with Autumnal equinox and Maghar Domahi with Winter solstice. Greater importance is attached to the winter festival than to the spring festival. But the third festival, held in autumn, is not always considered as another Domahi.

Maghar Domahi

Maghar Domahi or Domasi is festival of feasting after end of harvesting season and year. Its celebrated around mid of January. A mass feast is organised on eve of this festival called as "log bhaat".

Baihagar Domahi

Baihagar or Baishakh Domahi is special spring time festival. A fair usually held in the first week of Baihag or third week of April. It is known as "Bhatheli" in northern Kamrup, "Sori" or "Suanri" in southern Kamrup. In the southern part of Kamrup, where the festival is known as Sori, planting of tall bamboos is not seen, but bamboo posts,with the tuft at the top. People bow before the bamboos in northern Kamrup and they also touch them with reverence.

Bhatheli

Bhatheli as called in North Kamrup ( Nalbari, Rangiya etc.), held in month of Vaisakha. Each area decorates a long bamboo with flag and streamers. The one that adjusted best is called the bridegroom. The others who are termed brides, are then ranged around it in circle, and a mock marriage ceremony is performed.[4] The one of the main feature is the planting of two green Bamboos. On the fixed date in the morning young men take purifying baths. They cut two bamboos and decorated it with coloured cloth and chowries, followed by celebrations with music and instruments. A large scale fair accompanied with trading of different commodities.

In the south Kamrup where it is known as "Sori" or "Suanri" follows the same pattern with little variations. In Bajali area of north Kamrup bamboo is kept against a Banyan tree called as "Madan Mohan Gosain", a name of Krishna.

Banikanta Kakati draws attention towards similarity between Bhatheli and ancient Indradhwaja festival.[5] The Indradhwaja festival is described as "Sakrotthana" in the Kalika Purana, and it took place around a pole with flags. The procedures for the festival as described in the Kalika Purana approximate the preparations to be made for the celebrations of Bhatheli of the present days. The two festival apppers to be one except on certain minor details.[6]

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See also
  • Amati

References
  1. Bīrendranātha Datta, Nabīnacandra Śarmā, Prabin Chandra Das (1994), A Handbook of Folklore Material of North-East India, P 158
  2. Śarmā Nabīnacandra (1988), Essays on the Folklore of North-eastern India, P 64
  3. Datta, Birendrnath (1995), Folk Culture of the Goalpara Region, p.98
  4. B.C. Allen (1905), Kamrup District Gazetteer,p.111
  5. Banikanta Kakati, Visnuite Myths and Legends, pp.64-65
  6. D. Sarma (1968), Religious Fairs and Festivals of Assam, Journal of Assam research Society, Vol XVIII
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