It is a moment of pride for Assam as Guwahati is going to witness a historic moment yet again. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister of Assam, shared a video on X, announcing that the government is all set to organise an event, preparing over 10,000 Assam artists to take Bagurumba global. This magnificent event is directed as a step to promote the rich cultural heritage of the Bodo community, which is the largest tribal community of Assam.
From Bihu to Jhumoir: Assam’s Past Records
Earlier, Assam was in the news for the mesmerising Bihu and Jhumoir performances that became a global sensation. In 2023, Assam became a stalwart of cultural endeavours after setting a Guinness World Record for the ‘largest Bihu Dance performance in a single venue’ with 11,304 performers. This was at the spring festival, marking the beginning of the Assamese New Year.
Further, over 8,500 performers came together to perform the Jhumoir dance at the Advantage Assam 2.0 investment and infrastructure summit in February in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar. Apart from these popular leaders, a large set of delegation of 61 heads of missions also attended the event.
Another Record-Breaking Performance in Making
Following the past advances, a meeting was held with the Expert Committee at the Minister’s conference hall in Janata Bhawan. The meeting, chaired by the Cultural Minister, Bismal Bora, emphasised the initiative of highlighting Bodo heritage worldwide. The other attendees included Additional Chief Secretary Dr. B. Kalyan Chakravarty, Special Officer to the Cultural Ministry Rajiv Thapa, Director of Culture Rahul Chandra Das, Dulari Boro Harimu Afad, Bodo Sahitya Sabha, and Dulari Bathou Gauthum, among other representatives from big organisations, and office bearers.
This Mega Bagurumba performance is all set to be presented in November and will have a record-breaking number of 10,000-11,000 performers, from over 26 districts. The Minister of Cultural Affairs is overseeing the preparations, from costumes to instruments to training sessions, among other things.
Bagurumba: The Butterfly Dance of Assam
For centuries, the Bodo people of Assam have been practising the folk dance of Bagurumba in Assam. The origin story of the same remains unknown; however, the dance steps are a personification of the movements of butterflies; hence, it is known as the butterfly dance. The Bagurumba dance performance is a central part of the Bwisagu festival of the community. This dance and the associated festival signify mutual respect and love for nature and the surroundings. This dance form is dedicated to nature and symbolises the cycle of life, the joys of life and the relevance of togetherness.
The Bagurumba dance is traditionally performed only by women of the Bodo community, with the musical instruments being played by the males. The dancers dress in handwoven, bright red, yellow and green dokhna, jwmgra, and aronai, dancing to the beautiful beats of the handmade percussion instruments. The musical instruments include the traditional kham (drum made of wood and goat skin), sifung (bamboo flute), jota, gongwna, and tharkha.
From Assam to the World Stage
Bagurumba, a renowned folk dance of Assam, has been passed down from one generation to another within the Bodo community since time immemorial. But for the first time, the melody of this folk tradition is going to echo out of the plains and valleys of Assam, at such a massive scale.
The committee has named the performance ‘Bagurumba Dohou’, literally meaning ‘Bagurumba in unity’, showcasing the agenda of unifying the world under the common cause of promoting and embracing cultures of diverse communities. The performance is aimed at highlighting the cultural endeavours of the state and to elevate the recognition of the Bodo community and the culture of Assam on a global stage.
