The quintessence of Bohaag, the first month of the Assamese calendar, lies in the month-long celebration of Rongali Bihu. The name Rongali suggests a vibrant celebration of the rebirth of spring. This is when nature revives afresh with the first rain, and Soha Axomiya (rural Assamese people) hum their favourite Bihu tunes to the sounds of dhol (drum) and pepa (hornpipe), the two key instruments of Bihu.
Bihu songs articulate the ethos of Assamese culture and reflect its social frameworks. They teem with descriptions of rural life and speak of love, marriage, community bond, environment, food, middle class desires and working-class struggles. A number of prominent Bihu composers and singers of the 20th century, such as Khagen Mahanta, Bhupen Hazarika, Sharat Sharma, Lokeswar Deka, Anju Devi, Archana Mahanta, Bibha Barua, have imbued their songs with the flavour of Assamese life.
Recorded Bihu songs, it must be noted, are not the same as the ones performed on stage or…