The golden jubilee celebration of Rongali Bihu by the Assam Association of Michigan (AAMI) was organised on April 26.
The event was attended by guests and friends from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky etc., who had been attending Bihu in Michigan all along these years. This time too, it was no different.
The golden jubilee Rongali Bihu celebration was attended by more than 200 attendees from more than 10 different states of USA. There were also several guests from Assam – visiting parents and relatives.
Guest artiste Shivani Patel from Toronto in Canada entertained the crowd till late in the evening.
With Borgeet, Husori, Bihu, Jyoti-Rabha Sangeet, Lokageet, performed by various local talented performers of the first and second generation of Assamese residents of Michigan, the event was a complete celebration of Assamese culture in a distant land to mark the 50th year of celebration in the state of Michigan, USA.
Authentic Assamese snacks were prepared by the local ladies. A sumptuous dinner was also served. The programme which started with the chorus Srimoy Oxomir…, sung by the AAMI ladies, ended with two group songs sung by everyone present at the end – Bhupen da’s immortal Manuhe Manuhor Baabe, which has been adopted as the AAMI anthem and O Mur Aapunar Desh.
The first Bihu in Detroit was organised by Debojit Barua in 1969 when he was a PhD student at the Wayne State University of Detroit in Michigan. It was attended by a few friends from different places in US and Canada.
Assamese children of Michigan presented a spell-binding performance under the able guidance of dance guru Vani Rao.
In all, 22 seniors from Michigan and the neighbouring states who were part of the Bihu celebration in Michigan for more than 25 years were honoured on the stage with a gamusa and a bouquet each.
