Class 12 English (Supplementary Reader)|Chapter 9|Magh Bihu Or Maghar Bihu Domahi: Welcome to bodotutor.com ! Here you will get complete Class 12 English notes based on the AHSEC|ASSEB syllabus. We are starting with Class 12 Chapter – 9 : Magh Bihu Or Maghar Bihu Domahi, and we’ll continue to provide clear, easy-to-understand notes for every chapter to help you in your exams. Stay connected for regular updates and more study materials!
Class 12 English (Supplementary Reader)|Chapter 9|Magh Bihu Or Maghar Bihu Domahi
Answer the Following Question:
1. What does the term ‘Domahi’ mean?
Ans: Domahi means the junction of two months.
2. What is another name for Magh Bihu?
Ans: Magh Bihu is also called Bhogali Bihu or the Bihu of enjoyment.
3. What is Uruka in the context of Magh Bihu?
Ans: Uruka is the Bihu eve marked by feasting and preparation of traditional food items.
4. What happens early in the morning after Uruka?
Ans: People offer food to dogs, tie bamboo/jute around trees, take a purifying bath, and then burn mejis and bhelaghars.
5. Which god is worshipped during Magh Bihu?
Ans: Agni, the god of fire, is worshipped during Magh Bihu.
6. What is mah-karai?
Ans: Mah-karai is a mixture of roasted rice, black gram, sesame, and ginger smeared with oil.
7. What is sunga-pitha?
Ans: It is a traditional item made by roasting moist rice powder inside a green bamboo tube.
8. Which community considers building Bhelaghars a task for cowherd boys?
Ans: The Kachari community considers it a task for cowherd boys.
9. What is the significance of ashes and half-burnt bamboo sticks?
Ans: They are believed to increase the fertility of fields and gardens.
10. How is Kati Bihu different from Magh Bihu?
Ans: Kati Bihu is not a public festival and focuses on lighting lamps for crop protection, unlike the celebratory and communal Magh Bihu.
Fill in the Blanks:
1. Magh Bihu is known as ___________ Bihu.
Ans: Bhogali.
2. The name for the Bihu eve is ___________.
Ans: Uruka.
3. Tekeli-pitha is prepared on the mouth of a __________ or kettle.
Ans: Pitcher.
4. The Kacharis sacrifice ___________ to their god Bathou.
Ans: Fowls.
5. Akash-banti is a ___________ hanging from a tall bamboo.
Ans: Sky lamp.
True/False:
1. Chira and curd are eaten on Domahi for lunch.
Ans: True.
2. Kati Bihu is widely celebrated like Magh Bihu.
Ans: False.
3. Brahmins mark foreheads with ash after the meji is burnt.
Ans: True.
4. Sunga-pitha is made using a steel vessel.
Ans: False.
5. Swordplay was a traditional game associated with Bihu in earlier times.
Ans: True.
Long Type Question and Answers:
1. Describe the celebration of Uruka.
Ans: Uruka is the eve of Magh Bihu, celebrated with communal or family feasting. Women prepare traditional food like chira, pitha, curd, and laru. In tribal areas, rice-beer is brewed. The evening is spent eating and gathering around fires. It marks a time of joy and preparation for the rituals of the next day.
2. How is the morning of Magh Bihu celebrated?
Ans: At dawn, people offer rice to dogs, tie bamboo/jute around fruit trees, and clean their homes. After bathing, they proceed to the meji and bhelaghar for fire rituals, offer food to Agni, and burn the structures. Ashes are scattered in fields for fertility.
3. Describe the traditional food items consumed during Magh Bihu.
Ans: The lunch includes chira, pitha, curd, mah-karai, and tekeli-pitha. Sunga-pitha and sunga-saul are also popular. Mah-karai is a mix of roasted ingredients, while tekeli-pitha is steamed over a pitcher. The evening meal consists of rice, black gram curry, and yam.
4. What is the significance of fire rituals during Magh Bihu?
Ans: Fire rituals involve burning mejis and bhelaghars as offerings to Agni. The heat symbolizes purification, and the ashes are believed to increase agricultural fertility. The rituals may have Indo-European roots, similar to European Midsummer fires.
5. Discuss the role of cowherd boys in Kachari Bihu celebrations.
Ans: In the Kachari tradition, cowherd boys are responsible for building and burning bhelaghars. They pray for village prosperity and revenge against unjust treatment. They chant “Glory to our village!” as they light the fire before dawn.
6. How does the Kachari community observe Domahi?
Ans: Kacharis tie cords around trees, offer rice to animals, birds, and fishes, and perform rituals around the granary. They also perform animal sacrifice and participate in magan (begging) by singing carols and collecting food.
7. What sports and activities are associated with Magh Bihu?
Ans: Traditional games include wrestling, racing, jumping, egg fighting, and earlier, swordplay and javelin throwing. Youth prepare for these games weeks ahead, enhancing community bonding and martial readiness.
8. Explain the rituals and symbolism associated with Kati Bihu.
Ans: Kati Bihu is a lesser festival focusing on crop protection. Lamps are lit near tulsi plants, fields, and granaries. Farmers chant mantras and whirl bamboo to ward off pests. For the Kacharis, lamps are placed near the Siju cactus symbolizing their god.
9. Comment on the significance of the title “Magh Bihu or Maghar Domahi.”
Ans: The title reflects the cultural and regional duality of the festival. “Magh Bihu” is commonly used in Upper Assam, while “Maghar Domahi” is popular in Lower Assam. Both terms represent the same winter post-harvest celebration, emphasizing joy, feasting, and agrarian rituals. The title captures the cultural richness and variation of the Assamese festival across regions.
10. Why is Magh Bihu also called Bhogali Bihu?
Ans: Magh Bihu is called Bhogali Bihu because it centers on enjoyment (Bhog). It is a post-harvest festival marked by grand feasts, community bonding, and offerings to Agni, symbolizing abundance, fertility, and prosperity.
