Guwahati: In 1952, when stalwarts like Radha Govinda Baruah, Dr Bhubaneswar Borooah and Prabin Phukan decided to brought Bihu from the paddy field to .
The traditional Bihu dance being performed in Sonitpur on Wednesday
GUWAHATI: Bohag Bihu was celebrated across the state amid the threat of covid-19 hanging in the air and the state health department’s strict SOP. Events were held at night, too, though in a muted form.
Last year, the spring festival could not be celebrated because of the outbreak of the pandemic. This year the celebrations were on, but with curbs to prevent the spread of the infection in the second wave.
The SOP was issued by the state health department on April 9 after a fresh spike in Covid-19 positive cases was reported from different parts of the country.
Students of Nabarup Jatiya Vidyapith in Nagaon take part in a celebration ahead of Bihu
GUWAHATI: Nearly one-fifth of the 30 Bihu committees in Guwahati have decided to call off their celebrations after most of the sponsors withdrew their agreements following the recent standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the government for celebrating the festival.
“Organising a night function entails a huge cost. Lakhs of rupees have to be spent. The organisers are in a dilemma whether to go by the recent SOP and bear the expenses themselves.We have decided to call off the night function,” said an organiser.
The Shantipur Bihu committee in Bharalumukh in the city is one such committee, which is not organising a night function. “We cannot organize the function and follow the SOP at the same time. There are two options – either cancel the function or revoke/relax the SOP,” a committee member said.
Many corporate houses are reluctant to donate funds to the Bihu committees to celebrate the Rongali Bihu citing bad financial condition due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.