Meji and Bhelaghar: a Visual Study on Transmutative Concern of Assamese Folk Beliefs Nandita Goswami

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 03, MARCH 2020 ISSN 2277-8616 Meji And Bhelaghar: A Visual Study On Transmutative Concern Of Assamese Folk Beliefs Nandita Goswami

Abstract: Culture is a way of living in a society, it shows mirror to human being how they have to behave in a particular society. In a particular society culture reflects their customs, beliefs, performance, rituals and festivals of that particular society. In Assam Bihu serves as a integral part of cultural assimilation. There are thousands of folk beliefs and rituals of Assamese cultural society are entwined with Bihu. These Bihu festivals are a clear reflection as a essence of Assamese cultural society. Like every folk culture of the world, Assamese folk culture is also intimate part of the state festival Bihu. There are three types of Bihu celebrated in Assam, they are like - Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu celebrated in spring season, Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu celebrated in autumn season and the last one Magh Bihu or Bhugali Bihu celebrated in winter season after the harvesting. This research paper attempts to study the vernacular art of the festival ‘Meji' and ‘Bhelaghar ’ which is celebrated in the night before Magh Bihu which called ‘Uruka Night' in Assamese society. On the day of Uruka all people comes together to prepare their big fest, they construct a temporary temple like structure which known as Meji and makeshift a hut like structure which called Bhelaghar. This Meji and Bhelaghar are profoundly related with the folk culture of Assamese society. However, as a things change with time, so does the culture also changes its original forms to maintain the decorum of changing time. One of main reason of transformation of these traditional cultures is globalization. With globalization, the traditional beliefs of those folk cultures are adapting new technologies and transmutation into a visual culture. This study attempts to shed light on the importance features of the food feast of Magh bihu which is celebrate by following the traditional culture Meji and Bhelaghar. Key words: Meji, Bhelaghar, Uruka, Magh ,Bohag , Bihu, Bhugal,\ Transmutative .

——————————  —————————— INTRODUCTION: As the mirror of cultural reflects the state festival Bihu is an That means, evey tribes has its own traditional rules of making integral part of Assamese society since the ancient time. In ‘Meji' and ‘Bhelaghar’ which is being continued till now. Assamese society the value of Bihu is very significant. Bihu Therefore the ritual of making ‘Meji' and ‘Bhelaghar’ is a celebrates as a three cultural festivals of Assam, Bohag Bihu, common cultural factors of Assam. Now days the way of Magh Bihu and Kati Bihu which have their own specific making Bhelaghar and meji are quit change, hay, thatch, dry significance in society. All the three bihu has its own significant leaves of banana tree, bamboo sticks etc are used by people role and social norms. The essence of Magh Bihu has its to make the structure of these ritualistic house. In our paper different intoxication. There is a inseparable parts of Magh we are trying to discuss about the cause of changes that took Bihu are ‘Meji’ and ‘Bhelaghar’. This inseparable part ‘Meji’ place in the ritual of making Bhelaghar or meji and its effects has come from Sanskrit word ‘Medhya’. Like that ‘Bhelaghar’ on Assamese cultural society. word has come from ‘Megh-Griha'. Although the word ‘Meji' and ‘Bhelaghar' are originated as Sanskrit but it cannot be THE AIMS AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS STUDY: deny that it’s full of Arya-Mongolian ritual. Which means ‘Meji’ The main focus of this research paper is to explore the and ‘Bhelaghar’ are full with various folk cultures from our changing effects of the ritual of which was celebrated by the ancestors or tribal people of Assam. It was notice that Magh people of Assamese society in to making Meji or Bhelaghar Bihu's ‘Meji' and ‘Bhelaghar’ have similarities with the house of and to introduce the effectiveness of these ritualistic believe to primitive or tribal people which called ‘Dekasang’. The young boy used to stay whole ‘Uruka' night at Bhelaghar to guarded the public through this esteemed writing. the Meji and enjoy the feast by eating dinner in that place which known as bhoj. In this case Birinchi Kumar Barua’s SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY: statement is very significant because he state that there is little memory of Dekasang was left in Bhelaghar which was Cultural is an identity of a community. Culture reflects the celebrated by the people of plane area in Assam. Like the individual identity of a community in front of a society. The tradition of spend the whole night to enjoy the feast at different types of rule and regulations of a culture are very bhelaghar, is an important part for the people of Miri or significant for the upbringing of community. A cultural rules and Dekasang Tibetan tribe.Making of ‘Meji' or ‘bhelaghar’ is regulations of a community remains in a good condition if all associated with the various different tribes of Assam. the objects followed by everyone in a regulation at society. According to different tribes of people ‘Meji' and ‘bhelaghar’ Meji and Bhelaghar are made by relating with Magh Bihu has holds different types of naming word. very significant role in Assamese society. Because of changes ______of time or with the effect of globalization there are lots of changes were noticed in the process of celebration of this  Nandita Goswami is a PhD Research Scholar of Department of ritual. It seem as it going to lose its own self-values. Therefore Modern Indian Language and Literary Studies, Gauhati University, it is become very important to create awareness of this Contact no-9101857513,9957995455, email- significant ritual of Assamese culture through research or id:[email protected] study on its historical factors. But there are not seems any sufficient discussions on the topic of the festival of Meji or Bhelaghar. Therefore it is important to evaluate or research the significant role of the making Meji or Bhelaghar to regenerate for the new generation.

changes which took place with time in the celebration of Magh METHODOLOGY: Bihu’s Meji and Bhelaghar and it can be said that media has important role in this changing trends. In the year 2017 there The present study is based on secondary data gathered from are different types of Bhelaghar can be seen in different parts different sources like research book, articles etc. To fulfill the of Assam, some sample those Bhelaghars are as follows - study a field study also done to collect various different Hauraghat from Karbi-Anglong district constructed Bhelaghar information. The help of internet has been used to collect as a sample of Surgical Strike, Titanic structure was made at information when needed. Jorhat, Eiffel Tower was made in Sirang district, Aeroplane structure was created by Goalpara district, At Raha they made ANALYSIS OF THE TOPIC: the structure of Bhelaghar as a example of saving Rihno, ‘Meji’ and ‘Bhelaghar’ are important aspects of Magh Bihu. Kumoi from Marigaon district created the Taj Mahal structure The gathering in of the harvesting food at the end of Aahghun- which became very popular at that time. Generally through this Puh Month indicates Magh Bihu is near and people start to artistic creation the creativity of the people starts to reveal an become for prepare themselves for the celebrations of this artistic genius from a simple person and creates awareness food feast. They prepare for the bihu from the beginning of among them and also gets attention of public. Though this Pooh Month. From the beginning of the Pooh month all became very significant for the people but it should also be the young boys start to prepare the makeshift of Bhelaghar by noticed that is there any importance of these thematic using bamboo sticks, haystack, dry leaves of banana and performance in the construction of Meji or Bhelaghar in thatch. The structure of meji is build as a temple like figure by Assamese society to fulfill their traditional need. Because wood and dry leaves. Though some Meji are building by hay, people should be aware about their own traditions there are thatch, bamboo sticks and dry leaves but some Meji are seen not much necessary elements of using new technologies as build by using only wood. These types of Meji are called which will male make people lost their own culture. So in this ‘Wooden Meji'. Like the same way by using hay, dry banana way there is a need of further studies to carry out the leaves, thatch and bamboo sticks are used to made Bhelaghar traditional value related to Magh Bihu's Meji and Bhelaghar. in a paddy field or in an open area is a folk culture of the Assamese society since ancient time. All the villagers enjoying CONCLUSION: the food feast and used to stay whole inside the Bhelaghar. Culture has it dynamic role which is like a river, and folk Next day in an early morning people take bath and come to culture of Assam is closely related with agriculture and worship Fire God by light the Bhelaghar down for sending productivity. Magh Bihu also known as Bhugali bihu also away the winter season for entire year and take the hit of fire closely related to agriculture because at the end of Aghun-Puh for a better and healthy life. There is also a folk belief of that moth people used to gatherer their harvest and at the day of day that fire goes to her mother’s home and the weather start ‘domahi' or ‘sankranti' people of Assam celebrated the food to become hotter day by day. Moreover people collect the festival in the makeshift huts called as Bhelaghar. But with the ashes and half burn wood sticks and bamboos to spread over changing of generation this cultural feast seems lost their in their field’s area and tie into the Betel Nut and Coconut tree traditional values and updating themselves to compete with to bring more fruit and for better production in future. From this the modernization. Therefore we can relate culture with a we came to know that it cannot be denied that ‘Agni-Pooja’ floating river because like the floating river culture also also has its relation with ritual of making Meji and Bhelaghar. changes it form as a result it can be noticed many traditional All the discussions mention in the above are the main common believes has been missing with time. Which means culture is factors of Meji and Bhelaghar which is related with Magh Bihu fluid which used to change it is form with trends. But overflow or its tradition. But as culture is dynamic or multicultural of any changes which throw a culture in a dispensable manner domain it has no longer one-dimensional characters as result may also affects on a ritualistic value of a tradition. And these Meji and Bhelaghar are becoming transmitting features with changing trends can be noticed in structure of Meji and the changing time. From the last four-five years it seems to Bhelaghar made in Magh bihu at Assam. There is no need of have many changes in the process of making Meji and any publicity or popularity among public because it has its own Bhelaghar. It has been noticed that from the past years people thematic values of folk customs which can be seen as from various part of Assam used to make Bhelaghar by using entwined with the life of folk Assam. The original structure of various historical elements and scientific technology. They Meji and Bhelaghar itself a thematic presentation. In a true have adopted various themes to make decorative and sense the uses of themes like surgical strike, Aeroplane, significant Bhelaghar of their particular place. And it cannot be Titanic are cannot be called as Bhelaghar. Because in no deny that this tendency of adapting various technologies means Bhelaghar should look like these kind of creation. In effected from Durga Puja Mondop, as from earlier times the the Assamese society Bhelaghar has its own significant role pandals of Durga Puja are created by using various historical, which cannot be removed for modernism. Bhelaghar is an traditional or scientific technologies. And the Electronic Media integral part of Magh Bihu which cannot be removed. are strongly activated in telecasting this programmed and it Bhelaghar are specifically made for celebrating the Magh bihu affects the public to develop their thinking processes. For the which also known as Bhugali bihu because by enjoying the example, in 2017 there is a competition declared by the local food that was harvesting in that particular time and used to satellite channel among the public about constructing Meji and stay whole night inside it. Through this the social integration Bhelaghar in a creative manner to increase the interest among becomes stronger and it brings all the people together. But the young generation too. Although now a days the television changing trends of this cultural festivals may cause harm for channels telecast live programs of music and songs performed the future generation or it could lost its true value and cultural by popular artists on the spot of Meji and Bhelaghar. Because demands in society if people does not take it seriously. Media of these reasons it can be noticed that there are many and private Satellite channels are also responsible to

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