Bihu Lagise

Festivities are special, more so if you are a child. And Rimpy was no exception. Though Durga was her best friend, Bihu wasn’t bad either.

Bihu was friendly. He came to meet her thrice every year. This meant more holidays and more goodies. It also included a late night trip, dozing on a freshly ironed paper stiff mekhela chador on Ma’s lap. It also meant being reprimanded soundly later inside the car on behalf of the now crumbled mekhela chador. In stark irony of the crumbled mekhela chador, B Hazarika continued to croon gaily at the background at Bharalumukh or Latashil.

Preparations for welcoming Bihu began well in advance. Ma busied herself directing the domestic helps to make coconut laroos, til pithas, narikol pithas. When Bihu came in bohag he bought along with him new clothes too.

A day before Bihu came in January, he sent his messenger Uruka.

Uruka the eatable enjoyable festival boy
Uruka the enjoyable eatable festival boy

This was a day of great happiness. Rimpy could visit the ghats with Paponi (Tamil version of papa)… rare moments when he got preference over Ma. When the three feet something, in pink lacy socks and polka dotted tailored frock with butterfly sleeves set out to greet the fish of Brahmaputra she was a proud lady. There hopping between various fishes, most bigger than her in size and some lesser she felt like a true achiever.

After the great task of choosing the right fish for Bihu, the next task at hand was to go to Uzanbazar Market. Choosing the right rice, lentils, assorted veggies, fresh curd, jaggery, the horrible shira (dunno the English name for it), skinned chicken like bruised knees et al.

Though these trips were really happy ones often she was bitten by worries. Worries of the huge fish that Paponi carried on a string could jump at her any moment.

Rimpy tried not to catch her eye, because it’s the eyes which held all the terror.

Eyes scolded.
Eyes threatened.

All the while they shopped…all the way from the ghat to Raam Pyari (white Maruti 800) the fish threatened to gobble up the pink lacy socks and polka dotted tailored frock with butterfly sleeves.

And when she sat in Raam Pyari she could feel the fish opening its mouth and closing it in anticipation.

Rimpy forgot all about it when she reached home, happy to meet Bihu. And at dinner, when everyone feasted on the fish the pink lacy socks and polka dotted tailored frock with butterfly sleeves heaved a sigh of relief. A sigh of smug satisfaction.