SUALKUCHI, Feb 1 � �Sabha-Gandhi�, a ritual of the people of Bamundi, one of the oldest villages on the outskirts of Sualkuchi, was celebrated with a two-day programme of January 20 and 21 at Gopaleswar Gosaighar.
�Sabha-Gandhi� signifies the hospitality of the people of Bamundi, indicates the symbol of unity and integrity, communal harmony of the people of different caste and creeds of the greater Pachimbansar and Pubbansar mouzas.
Magh, seemingly the holy month, the people of the old North Kamrup celebrate Sabha at different places and offer. �Sida� uncooked eatafles to the guests coming from other villages. The Sabha-Gandhi is such a festival that it has been celebrating by the people of Bamundi, under Pachim Bansar mouza of Kamrup district from time immemorial. This time �Sabha-Gandhi� started with illuminating the �Malowa� a tradition which was followed by distribution of �Sidha�, presentation of rice, potatoes, brinjals, bottle gourd, fire wood, edible oil and fish to each individual in the team. Two thousand �sidhas� were distributed among the people coming from 14 villages under Pachim Bansar and Pub Bansar mouzas.
The other programmes of the night were performance of dhulia (drum players) and ojhapali and theatrical performance was presented.
The next day�s programmes included homadikritya, distribution of �sidha� to the priest and elderly citizens, the staff of different institutions including banks, cooperative societies, 8 LP schools, 3 high schools, college, Bamundi Gayrah non government panchayat etc.
The organisers of the �Sabha-Gandhi� collected eight quintals rice, 500 bottle gourds, 5 quintal brinjals, 14 quintal fire wood from 1400 families. This time people under Bamundi Raj Goyarh caught 19 quintal fish from public beels.
