40-597: Magh Bihu (also called Bhogali Bihu (of eating Bhog i.e. enjoyment) or Maghar Domahi is a harvest festival celebrated in Assam , North-East India , which marks the end of harvesting season in the month of Magh (January–February). A bonfire (Meji) is lit for the ceremonial conclusion and prayer to the God of Fire. The festival is developed by the Tibeto-Burman cultures and festivals Magan of Kachari . The festival
80-425: A feeling that it was bad luck to be the person to cut the last stand of corn. The farmer and his workers would race against the harvesters on other farms to be first to complete the harvest, shouting to announce they had finished. In some counties, the last stand of corn would be cut by the workers throwing their sickles at it until it was all down, in others the reapers would take it in turns to be blindfolded and sweep
120-558: A harvest festival and thanksgiving, marking the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the harvest. It is a time of gratitude and celebration within the community. Harvest festivals in Asia include the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節), one of the most widely spread harvest festivals in the world. In Iran Mehrgan was celebrated in an extravagant style at Persepolis. Not only was it the time for harvest, but it
160-403: A scene which demonstrates several of these features. There is a character personifying harvest who comes on stage attended by men dressed as reapers; he refers to himself as their "master" and ends the scene by begging the audience for a "largesse". The scene is inspired by contemporary harvest celebrations, and singing and drinking feature largely. The stage instruction reads: "Enter Harvest with
200-609: A scythe on his neck, and all his reapers with sickles, and a great black bowl with a posset in it borne before him: they come in singing." The song which follows may be an actual harvest song or a creation of the author's intended to represent a typical harvest song of the time: Merry, merry, merry, cheery, cheery, cheery, Trowel the black bowl to me; Hey derry, derry, with a pop and a lorry, I'll throw it again to thee; Hooky, hooky, we have shorn, And we have bound, And we have brought Harvest Townhome. The shout of "hooky, hooky" appears to be one traditionally associated with
240-771: A scythe to and fro until all of the Mell was cut down. Some churches and villages still have a Harvest Supper. The modern British tradition of celebrating the Harvest Festival in churches began in 1843, when the Reverend Robert Hawker invited parishioners to a special thanksgiving service at his church at Morwenstow in Cornwall . Victorian hymns such as Come, ye thankful people, come and All things bright and beautiful but also Dutch and German harvest hymns in translation (for example, We plough
280-421: A struggle. Development and Relief organizations often produce resources for use in churches at harvest time which promote their own concerns for those in need across the globe. In the early days, there were ceremonies and rituals at the beginning as well as at the end of the harvest. Encyclopædia Britannica traces the origins to "the animistic belief in the corn [grain] spirit or corn mother." In some regions
320-535: Is accompanied by drums, dances and enjoyment. The holy bath of Buddha is an auspicious event in the festival. The celebration takes place for three consecutive days. During the celebration the locals make homemade sweet and distribute them. The exchange of gifts is also a common trait of the festival. There are festivals other than Sangken celebrated throughout the year calendar. Some of the festivals are namely: POI-PEE-MAU (Tai or Dai New Year), MAI-KASUNG-PHAI, KHAO-WA, POAT-WA, etc. Every festive occasion or celebration of
360-696: Is an annual celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times at different places. Harvest festivals typically feature feasting, both family and public, with foods that are drawn from crops. In Britain , thanks have been given for successful harvests since pagan times . Harvest festivals are held in September or October depending on local tradition. The modern Harvest Festival celebrations include singing hymns , praying , and decorating churches with baskets of fruit and food in
400-774: Is celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam , India and in Kachin , Sagaing region of Myanmar as the traditional New Year's Day from 14 to 16 April by the Theravada Buddhist Communities. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars. The Sangken festival is celebrated by the Khamti , Singpho , Khamyang , Tangsa tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, and Tai Phake , Tai Aiton, and Tai Turung communities of Assam . Sangken generally falls in
440-535: Is dedicated to the worship of Buddha so that he can bless mankind with prosperity. Poi cheng ken is the traditional spring festival of the Tai-Ahom people observed in the Ahom month Duin-Ha of Sexagenary cycle . This festival involves washing things especially bathing the household cattles, commemorates the ancestors and worshipping the insignia Chum Pha Rueng Sheng Mueang . The rituals of Cheng Ken are described in
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#1732782797432480-675: Is known as Uruka or the Bihu Eve. The word Uruka is originally derived from the Deori-Chutia word Urukuwa which means "to end", signifying the end of the harvesting season as well the Pausha month. On this day, women folk get ready for the next day with food items like- Chira, Pitha, Laru, Curd. A feast is organised at night known as Bhuj (derived from the Sanskrit word "Bhojana"). Various indigenous communities prepare rice beer, which
520-459: Is marked by feasts and bonfires. Young people erect makeshift huts, known as Meji and Bhelaghar , from bamboo, leaves and thatch, and in Bhelaghar they eat the food prepared for the feast, and then burn the huts the next morning. The celebrations also feature traditional Assamese games such as ‘’tekeli bhonga’’ (pot-breaking) and buffalo fighting. Magh Bihu celebrations start on the last day of
560-484: Is spelled variously) became the accepted name of the actual festival itself: "Hockey is brought Home with hallowing Boys with plum-cake The Cart following". Another widespread tradition was the distribution of a special cake to the celebrating farmworkers. A prose work of 1613 refers to the practice as predating the Reformation. Describing the character of a typical farmer, it says: "Rocke Munday..Christmas Eve,
600-632: Is usually not distilled. This is known as Chuji by the Chutias , Nam-Lao by Tai-Ahom , Zou by Bodos , and Aapong by the Mising . Uruka feasting may be a family affair or communal. After the feasting, the Uruka is over. Hut-like structures called Bhelaghar are also built in the fields where people stay during the night. More often village youth pass the night in the Bhelaghars warming themselves by
640-529: The Khamti people observe a similar Bonfire tradition related to Buddha. Given the fact that no other Tai group follows such ritual, it can be concluded it would be better that the Khamtis merely adopted the ritual from the locals in the 18th century which was later developed into a Buddhist rite, similar to the Kechai-khati worship organised on the same day. Harvest festival A harvest festival
680-419: The 20th century, most farmers celebrated the end of the harvest with a big meal called the harvest supper, to which all who had helped in the harvest were invited. It was sometimes known as a "Mell-supper", after the last patch of corn or wheat standing in the fields which were known as the "Mell" or "Neck". Cutting it signified the end of the work of harvest and the beginning of the feast. There seems to have been
720-604: The Buddhist people revolves around the principles and teachings of Buddha. All its socio-cultural activities have been truly religious. The essence of festivals lies in bringing people together and spreading the intrinsic values of their cultures and traditions. Being followers of Buddha, the Buddhist people are lovers of peace and harmony. Thus, Sangken has always unfolded the message of peace, harmony and unity. Their decency and craftsmanship and their cuisine reveal their love and taste of food, while their sports show their adeptness in
760-579: The Sailiks ropes of the holy book), Chausangphau-upuk and the Sammukathing. Water is also poured on Bhikkhus (monk) to invoke their blessings for good luck, good health, peace and harmony throughout the year. On the final day of the Sangken festival at the appointed time, the images are taken back to their original places and this marks the end of the old year. The Sangken festival marks a farewell to
800-418: The ancient manuscript Khyek Lai Bet . As mentioned: Duin ha jao pai ka duin ruk Poi cheng ken ao ma, hu ap nam, khai ap nam...., lit. ' ‘the month of Duin-ha is gone. The Poi cheng ken came in the month of Duin-ruk. Cows and buffaloes are washed with water. ' Sangken is also seen to be celebrated abroad. Many Buddhist exist elsewhere where this festival is celebrated with enthusiasm. Sangken
840-419: The art of games. The Tai Phakes is a lesser known Buddhist population of Assam. With its microscopic existence of less than 2000 souls, they mostly dwell in villages. In a constantly changing world they have tried to keep up, all the while trying to maintain their ways of life, tradition and culture. Before the beginning of the Sangken festival, a temporary shrine called 'Kyongfra' is constructed for keeping
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#1732782797432880-541: The beginning of the harvest season on 1 August and was called Lammas , meaning 'loaf Mass'. The Latin prayer to hallow the bread is given in the Durham Ritual. Farmers made loaves of bread from the fresh wheat crop. These were given to the local church as the Communion bread during a special service thanking God for the harvest. By the sixteenth century, several customs seem to have been firmly established around
920-519: The custom as an organized part of the Church of England calendar was Rev Piers Claughton at Elton, Huntingdonshire in or about 1854. As British people have come to rely less heavily on home-grown produce, there has been a shift in emphasis in many Harvest Festival celebrations. Increasingly, churches have linked Harvest with an awareness of and concern for people in the developing world for whom growing crops of sufficient quality and quantity remains
960-471: The end, the Bhelaghar is also burned and people consume a special preparation known as Mah-Karai , which is a roasted mixture of rice , black gram . In the breakfast and lunch, people consume various traditional dishes like various Fish , Duck , Chicken and Mutton curries along with rice , ‘ tenga ’ , ‘ aloo pitika ’ and ‘ doi sira’ . The ashes of the bonfire Meji and Bhelaghar are used in
1000-423: The farmers believed that a spirit resided in the last sheaf of grain to be harvested. To chase out the spirit, they beat the grain to the ground. Elsewhere they wove some blades of the cereal into a "corn dolly" that they kept safe for "luck" until seed-sowing the following year. Then they plowed the ears of grain back into the soil in hopes that this would bless the new crop. Sangken The Sangken festival
1040-518: The festival known as Harvest Festival, Harvest Home, Harvest Thanksgiving or Harvest Festival of Thanksgiving. In British and English-Caribbean churches, chapels and schools, and some Canadian churches, people bring in produce from the garden, the allotment or farm. The food is often distributed among the poor and senior citizens of the local community or used to raise funds for the church, or charity. Oromos in Ethiopia also celebrate Irreecha ,
1080-523: The fields and scatter ) helped popularise his idea of a harvest festival, and spread the annual custom of decorating churches with home-grown produce for the Harvest Festival service. On 8 September 1854 the Revd Dr William Beal , Rector of Brooke, Norfolk , held a Harvest Festival aimed at ending what he saw as disgraceful scenes at the end of harvest, and went on to promote 'harvest homes' in other Norfolk villages. Another early adopter of
1120-799: The fire and making use of the vegetables that they steal from the backyards of villagers which is considered a tradition. The day of the Bihu starts at early dawn by a post-harvesting ceremony called "Meji". In this, bonfires are burned in the fields and people pray to their ancestral gods for blessings. The word Meji is originally derived from the Deori-Chutia word Midi-ye-ji where "Midi" denotes "Ancestral gods", "Ye" means "Fire"( Meij also meant Fire in Proto-Sino-tibetan , མེ in Tibetan , မီး in Burmese ) and "Ji" means "Fly away", signifying
1160-467: The first day and at an auspicious time, the images of Buddha are taken out of the shrine, given a ceremonial bath and placed in the 'Kyongfra’ to the accompaniment of drums and cymbals. People pray, offer sweets and food as offerings in the temple and then distribute sweets and goodwill amongst all by pouring water over each other. Water is also poured over all the holy objects, including the Boddhi tree,
1200-573: The gathering of the final harvest. They include the reapers accompanying a fully laden cart; a tradition of shouting "Hooky, hooky"; and one of the foremost reapers dressing extravagantly, acting as 'lord' of the harvest and asking for money from the onlookers. A play by Thomas Nashe , Summer's Last Will and Testament , (first published in London in 1600 but believed from internal evidence to have been first performed in October 1592 at Croydon ) contains
1240-513: The harvest celebration. The last verse is repeated in full after the character Harvest remarks to the audience "Is your throat clear to help us sing hooky, hooky ?" and a stage direction adds, "Heere they all sing after him". Also, in 1555 in Archbishop Parker 's translation of Psalm 126 occur the lines: "He home returnes: wyth hocky cry, With sheaues full lade abundantly." In some parts of England "Hockey" or " Horkey " (the word
Magh Bihu - Misplaced Pages Continue
1280-544: The hoky, or seed cake, these he yearly keeps, yet holds them no relics of popery." Early English settlers took the idea of harvest thanksgiving to North America. The most famous one is the harvest Thanksgiving held by the Pilgrims in 1621. Nowadays the festival is held at the end of harvest, which varies in different parts of Britain. Sometimes neighboring churches will set the Harvest Festival on different Sundays so that people can attend each other's thanksgiving. Until
1320-529: The idols of Buddha during Sangken. In this Kyongfra during Sangken, clean water is sprinkled through a specially designed water fountain called the 'Lungkong'. Clean and scented water poured through the fountain is sprinkled over the idols of Buddha kept inside the Kyongfra. This water, which has washed the Gods, is collected as holy water by the devotees. Sangken festival is celebrated for three consecutive days. On
1360-482: The month of 'Nuean Ha', the fifth month of the year of the Tai lunisolar calendar coinciding with the month of April. It is celebrated in the last days of the old year and the New Year begins on the day just after the end of the festival. The main attraction of the festival is splashing clean water, which is the symbol of peace and purity. The images of Buddha are taken out and after the ceremonial bath. The procession
1400-414: The old year and a warm welcome to the New Year. The New Year is welcomed with community prayers and feast during the ‘Poi Sangken’ celebrated after the end of the festival. This day is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm by all and marked by people going to the monastery to wash and clean up the shrine, idols and sprinkle holy water in the premises and a community feast which follows. This festival
1440-516: The previous month, the month of "Pooh", usually the 29th of Pooh is 14 January, and is the only day of Magh Bihu in modern times (earlier, the festival would last for the whole month of Magh, and so the name Magh Bihu). The night before is "Uruka" (28th of Pooh), when people gather around a bonfire, cook dinner, and make merry. During Magh Bihu, people of Assam make rice cakes with various names such as Sunga Pitha , Til Pitha etc. and some other sweets of coconut called Laru. The first day of Magh Bihu
1480-516: The trees and crops to increase the fertility of the gardens or fields. Along with the main Me-Ji and Sangken , there are many related festivals can be seen Assam and Arunachal . On the seventh day of Magh Bihu they clean utensils and sacrifice fowls to Bathou, their God and go out carol singing, collecting foods. They set up Bhelaghars and burn them in the morning. In the Full moon day of Magh month,
1520-535: The week-long harvest festival of Sukkot in the autumn. Observant Jews build a temporary hut or shack called a sukkah , and spend the week living, eating, sleeping, and praying inside it. It is reminiscent of the tabernacles Israelite farmers would live in during the harvest, at the end of which they would bring a portion of the harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem . An early harvest festival used to be celebrated at
1560-532: The worship of ancestral spirits which fly away with the fire. The bonfires are usually made with fireword, green bamboo, hay and dried Banana leaves. People take bath before setting up the bonfire, as a tradition. The ritual of Meji Jwaluwa (Firing the Meji) is very enjoyable. Worshipping the Bhoral and Meji is done by offering Chicken , Rice cakes, Rice beers, Chira, Pitha, Akhoi, Horoom, Curd, and other eatables. At
1600-700: Was also the time when the taxes were collected. Visitors from different parts of the Persian Empire brought gifts for the king, all contributing to a lively festival. In India, Makar Sankranti , Thai Pongal , Uttarayana , Lohri , and Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu in January, Holi in February–March, Vaisakhi in April and Onam in August–September are a few important harvest festivals. Jews celebrate
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