Resource Type

Performance of Jali Putuli festival songs, dances, and rituals

Villagers of Jajikona Village introduce themselves and describe the festival, Jali Putuli Haba, or 'wedding of fake idols'. This is a traditional festival of the Bodo community, but not so common nowadays. It is still found in the Kamrup District of Assam, for example in Jajikona (Jarkona) village. The villagers believe that this festival is still rewarding. Here, two idols, bride and groom, made of straw are decorated with new clothes, colors, and garlands. Certain rituals are performed by the elderly people accompanied by music, song and dance while decorating the idols at one of the households. The main celebration takes place the next day when the idols are placed auspiciously within a cage specially built with banana trees and its barks. It is celebrated in an open field where all the villagers gather, offer prayers, and sing and dance in merriment to invoke and seek blessings from God. They believe that this particular ritual is performed in the name of Rain God, Deba Bwrai and Debi Burwi, Rawna and Rawni (Thunder and Lightening) for sufficient rain and good crops before they start farming activities in Summer.
Date: June 12, 2021
Creator: Basumatary, Prafulla
System: The UNT Digital Library