Boko, June 19: The vibrant Baikho festival, a traditional agricultural celebration of the Rabha tribal community, was observed with full fervour on Wednesday at Hahim, a village located along the Assam-Meghalaya border in Kamrup district. The day-long festivities drew large crowds and witnessed spirited participation from various communities living in the border areas.
Organised by the Hahim regional units of the All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU), All Rabha Women Council (ARWC), and the All Rabha Sixth Schedule Demand Committee, the annual event is dedicated to invoking blessings for a bountiful harvest, good health, and communal prosperity.
Celebrated during the Assamese month of Jeth (May–June), Baikho is one of the most important traditional festivals for the Rabha people, observed across their settlements in Assam, Meghalaya, and parts of West Bengal.
Rituals began early in the day, with the head priest Rohini Kumar Rabha leading the ceremonial sacrifices of a pig and twelve cocks, as part of offerings to thirteen deities worshipped by the Rabha community. The festival also featured sacred items such as Ghila Guti (African dream seeds) and Soko (rice beer), considered essential to the rituals.
“This is our sacred annual puja,” said Rohini Kumar Rabha. “We pray for children’s education, sufficient rainfall, health, protection from evil, and overall development of the Rabha people. Our deities include Mama Sibu Damrang, Aya Sisurani, Aya Tamai, Aya Sampai, and several others who represent various aspects of life and nature.”
Adding a cultural vibrancy to the day, traditional games such as Lewa Tana (tug-of-war) were played, while women and priests participated in devotional performances. The highlight of the evening was the breathtaking Barnakkai or “fire-test” dance. As darkness fell, Rabha priests, their bodies covered in rice paste, danced barefoot over burning charcoal, a ritual believed to fulfil wishes and demonstrate divine power. The fire-dance was preceded by the Killabhanga ritual, invoking spiritual strength.
Ten students from the Rabha community who passed their HSLC and HS examinations were felicitated at the Hahim Library premises. Leaders from the organising bodies also planted saplings to mark the occasion and promote environmental awareness.
The event was attended by several prominent figures including Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council Chairman Sonaram Rabha, Council members Sumit Rabha and Ajit Rabha, ARSU Vice President Pradeep Rabha, and Kamrup District ARSU leaders Ananda Rabha and Namal Kumar Rabha.
Speaking at the event, Namal Kumar Rabha emphasized the spirit of harmony that defines the border region. “While this is our community’s festival, people from neighbouring Boro, Gorkha, Garo, and Khasi communities also join us every year. This cultural unity despite being at the border of two states is a testimony to our peaceful coexistence,” he said.
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