The Bohag Bihu celebration is still on across the State as the Assamese month ‘Bohag’ is not yet over. However, unlike the celebration of Bihu in the open air enjoying till the late night literally crossing all boundaries of celebration by the Bihu revellers, the Bihu was celebrated with a difference within the four boundaries of the District Jail at Mangaldai.
The inmates of the district jail, who have already been in the limelight for developing a silent literary revolution by publishing a hand-written wall magazine continuously for more than three years, have once again shown an example how to celebrate Bihu in total with people from all communities and religions within the day hours but under tight discipline and budget.
It was a collective effort with voluntary contribution by each of the inmates from the savings of their daily wages and a polished management of the organizing committee led by life term convict Sat Ram Nath as the President and Arupjyoti Deka as the Secretary respectively and equally well guided by the senior jail officials and staff members that made this Bihu celebration possible.
In addition to small contributions from each inmate, some inmates including convicts Chanika Purti, Sadeb Gour and Illias Purti willingly sponsored the ‘Jhumur’ dance team while convicts Gazi Rahman, Khabir Ali, Abdul Hai and Momin Ali jointly sponsored the ‘Bihu’ team.
Former inmates of the jail, Ibrahim Ali donated 40 numbers of ‘phulam Bihuwan’ and Illias Ali sponsored another ‘Bihu’ team. Bipul Barua of Dhemaji, who was compelled to spend several days in Mangaldai Jail few days back, sponsored the required sweets and biscuits amounting to Rs 10,000.
Thus the District Jail at Mangaldai on Sunday virtually transformed into a holy place of unity, solidarity and the traditional year long communal harmony of the state as the inmates supported and encouraged by the Jail authority celebrated the ‘Bohagi Utsav’ with a day-long programme. Setting aside their religion, language and caste all the inmates including the convicts and the undertrial prisoners took part in the celebration thereby showcasing their hidden talents in culture and literature.
The celebration featured a variety of sporting competitions and cultural presentations including performing Bihu group dance, Zumur dance, solo Bihu and modern dance by besides songs rendered by guest child artiste Anwesha Goswami, Gokul Das and Tara Sankar Saikia among others.
The presence of several leading personalities including District and Sessions Judge, Darrang, Alakesh Bhattacharyya, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bijoy Kumar Sing, Judicial Magistrates Syed T Alam and Riha Paridhi respectively, Assistant Commissioner Hemashree Khanikar, prominent businessman and the President of the Mangaldai Chambers of Commerce Mukul Chandra Deka and Vice-President, All Assam Child Welfare Committee Upasana Deka, Jail Superintendent Ashok Kr Goswami, Jailor Munindra Sarma, Associate Professor, Mangaldai Commerce College Prabodh Ch Sarma, senior eye specialist from Nalbari Dr Subhra Kinkar Goswami was the another feat of this successful celebration.
Earlier, District and Sessions Judge Alakesh Bhattacharyya inaugurated the ‘Bohagi Utsav’ by cutting the ribbon while industrialist Mukul Chandra Deka unveiled the third year sixth edition of the wall magazine ‘Karalipi’ edited by life-term convict Arupjyoti Deka with literary contributions from other inmates of the jail.