Baah Goxain Utsav: A Cultural Space for the Reimagined Identity of Sarania Kacharis in Assam

Corresponding Author: Angana Goswami, Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Email ID: anganaami123@gmail.com

KEYWORDS Sarania Kachari, Baah Goxain, Festival, Ritual, Cultural identity

ABSTRACT
Objectives: An analysis of Sarania Kachari tribe’s Baah Goxain Utsav, a festival centred on their traditional chief God, Baah Goxain, a Bamboo God, in the Tamulpur district of Assam, is presented in this paper. An attempt has been made to present detailed information regarding the history of the festival and the community. This study attempted to highlight the festivals’ role in representing the Sarania Kachari cultural identity and fortifying its social cohesion.
Materials and Methods: A qualitative approach is used to understand the discourse within festival settings, highlighting the socio-cultural dimensions. In order to understand the festival, methods like observation, interviews, and focused group discussions are utilised. By examining lived experiences and emotions associated with ritual and other cultural events at the festival, the study is expected to gain valuable insights.
Results and Discussion: According to the findings, the Baah Goxain Utsav is a creative extension of a traditional ritual and a grand platform that preserves the distinctive customs and artistic expressions of the Sarania Kacharis tribe. This festival seemed to shape their existing cultural identity and consciousness among each generation, particularly through its large gathering of the whole tribe as one. The study recognises the essential role that the festival has played in facilitating communication between the Sarania Kacharis and the outside world about their challenges and aspirations.

Angana Goswami* & M. Kennedy Singh

Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007

DOI-DS: 11.2024-19413989
DOI Link :: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/11.2024-19413989/FrontierAnthropology/2024/13/A4

Frontier Anthropology, 2024, 13: 23-33
©Anthropological Society of Manipur

Brief Article

Manuscript Timeline
Submitted: April 30, 2024
Accepted: October 30, 2024
Published: November 7, 2024