Kolkata Rongali Bihu 2025 A Mixing Pot of Culture
Joydip Sur
On Sunday, May 4, 2025, all roads led to Madhusudan Mancha as Kolkata Assamese Cultural Association (KACA) were back with their marquee cultural event – Kolkata Rongali Bihu.
The event began with Mukoli Bihu performed by the participants of the Bihu Dance Workshop organised by KACA and directed by Bihu Samragyee Jaya Seal Ghosh. The audience joined in with great enthusiasm, dancing together in celebration and rekindling the joy of Bihu.
Thereafter, the audience was ceremoniously welcomed to the auditorium by the Bihu group led by a newlywed couple representing the head of household and were ushered with blessings as per tradition.
Following this, the President of KACA Dr. Khanindra Pathak, delivered his welcome address highlighting all the programs organised throughout the year and inviting everyone present to participate in the upcoming initiatives and events as well.
The Chief Guest of the evening was the popular singer and musician Lou Majaw, known as the Bob Dylan of India. Other celebrated guests were film maker Bidyut Kotoky, choreographer Sudarshan Chakravorty, actress Kalpana Baruah alongside dignitaries from the social and corporate sector.
KACA launched its annual trilingual magazine Sristi, unveiled by Sahitya Akademi award-winning writer and translator Dr. Nabamalati Neog Chakravarty. The 2025 edition of Sristi is edited by eminent author and speaker Dr. Jyotish Payeng.
The cultural segment of Kolkata Rongali Bihu began with a dance performance based on old Assamese melodies directed by Jinjiri Thakuria. Notably, all the dancers in this performance were non-Assamese, precisely local Bengali girls, a remarkable example of cultural integration, which is a unique identity and objective of KACA.
The performance of the in-house bihu husori troupe of the association Ramdhenu Bihuwa Dal, with traditional instruments dhol, pepa, toka, and gagana, rocked the Madhusudan Mancha. The performance, brought to life by the collective effort of Assamese residents and youth living in Kolkata, deeply immersed the audience in the spirit of Rongali.
Before the highly anticipated musical performance by Bound Morphemes, the General Secretary of KACA, Indukalpa Saikia, spoke of how despite limited resources, the dedicated efforts, resilience, and sacrifices of a few individuals enabled the successful execution of this unique cultural evening after a four-day Bihu workshop.
He specially acknowledged the significant contributions over three months of busy planning by Chandana Saikia, Janee Gohain, Kashmiri Kotoky, Orihana Ojah Hatkhowa, Prabal Bhattacharya, Manas Borah, Debashree Chanda, Pranjal Bhattacharya, Udit Narayan Mesh, Swapnanil Kashyap, Sanjeev Baishya, and Aloke Hazarika, along with Executive President Hiten Hatkhowa, who all played a pivotal role in organising the event from coordinating mah-prasad (community prayer feast), to graphic design, to arranging guest logistics all while managing their professional responsibilities.
The performance by Bound Morphemes enthralled the audience with a blend of traditional Assamese songs and high energy dance music stirring every soul present. The event was brilliantly compered by KACA’S Vice-President, Anuj Gogoi.
