Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi Class 12 NCERT solutions

Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi Class 12 NCERT solutions: Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi is the lesson no 9 from the class 12 Vistas, ncert supplementary reader. Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi is written by Dr. Praphulladatta Goswami. Here, you'll get Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi Class 12 NCERT solutions.

Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi HS 2nd year / AHSEC 2nd year

Bihu is the national festival of Assam. People in Assam observed three Bihus in a year, but among the three Bihus Magh bihu or Bhogali Bihu and Bohag Bihu or Rangali Bihu has great significance on the people of Assam. Here, you'll get Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi Vistas HS 2nd Year Questions Answers.

Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi class 12 Questions Answers

Bihu is a set of three important non-religious festivals in the Indian North Eastern state of Assam. People of Assam observed three Bihus in a year, Bohag Bihu, Magh Bihu and Kati Bihu. In this lesson the author explain about the customs and rituals related to the Magh Bihu, its significance and how it is observed. Here you'll get Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi class 12 questions answers.

Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi Short Questions Answers

Q1. What is the meaning of Domahi ? What do people usually have for lunch on that day ?

Ans: The Domahi or Damhi which is popularly spoken by the village folk in lower Assam. Domahi means the junction of two months.

On this day people do not take the usual rice and curry but chira,curd,and varities of pitha like sunga pitha, tekeli pitha, sunga saol etc.

Q2. How is the delicacy 'sunga pitha' prepared ?

Ans: Sunga pitha is prepared from moist rice powder mixed with a little bit of salty ingrediant put in a green bamboo tube and roasted in fire

Q3. What does the festival Magh Bihu marks ?

Ans: Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu is post harvest festival of Assam specialy in lower Assam. Magh bihu is observed on the first day of Magh month and in mid January, It marks the end of the harvesting season and farmers made merriment. It is the festival of festing.

Q4. Which state observed the festival Uruka ?

Ans: The festival Uruka is observed in the Assam state. It is celebrated in the mid January one night before the Magh Bihu.This festival is dedicated to Lord Agni. It is a festival of joy and merriment. Varities of food items are made.

Q5. What are the various and delicious food items are prepare in Magh Bihu ?

Ans: The Magh bihu is also known as Bhogali bihu. Womenfolk prepare chira, pitha, laru, curd, tekeli pitha, sunga pitha etc in sweet items. Tribal prepare rice beer, varities of non veg like fish, chicken meat, goat meat, pork meat also prepared but on the day of Domahi people have chira-curd, laru pitha instead of curry and rice.

Q6. What types of differents kinds of games are observed during the Magh Bihu ?

Ans: The Magh Bihu being the festival of festing, differents kinds of indigenous games are also observed on this occasion such as wrestling, racing, jumping, buffalo fighting, Egg fighting, fishing competition in the wetlands and many more.

Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi textbook questions answers

Q1. The Uruka happens to be an important aspect of Magh Bihu. Give an elaborate account of the celebrations associated with Uruka.
Ans: The Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu is one of the most important community festivals in Assam. It is the post harvest festival celebrated by the Assamese people in the local month of Magh during mid-January. It is celebrated with community feasts after the annual harvest.

The highlight of this festival is the food and festing due to the abundance of grains after the harvest. The night before Magh Bihu is called Uruka, It is the night of feasts.

People in villages and in many areas build temple like structures, it is called Bhelaghor or Meji. It is made with green bamboo and dried banana leaves and straw.

Uruka festing may be a family affair or communal. In the community kitchen begin the preparations. Various dishes, vegetables, fish, eggs and meat items are made and the women folk prepare sweets such as Pitha, Laru, mah-karai, takeli pitha, sunga pitha, sunga saul, borarice at home.

After the festing is over, The next day early in the morning people ties thin strips of bamboo or hay around the fruit bearing trees. Womenfolk clean the house and cooking pans and all take a purifying bath. Then the community gathers to light the Meji ghar, the male folk and children move around the mejis and pray for a better harvest in the year ahead, set fire and offer eatables to the god of fire Agni. People later indulge in traditional Jolpan breakfast.

Indigenous games such as wrestling, racing, jumping, buffalo fighting, Egg fighting are the parts of the celebrations. Community fishing by the tribes in the large wetlands can be also seen in some areas.

Q2. People do not take the usual rice and curry on the Domahi or Samkranti day for their lunch. What are the different kinds of food items that poeple have for lunch on this particular day ?

Ans: On the day of Domahi or Samkranti day people do not have theie usual rice and curry. Some special preparation are made for this day since earlier. People take sira, curd, pitha such as tekeli pitha, sunga pitha ,bora saol so on and some traditional jolpan like laru pitha and sira made of coconut etc. People believe no meat or other non veg is allowed on the day of Domahi. This day is regarded as sacred.

Q3. Although the Kacharis, the most numerous tribe of Assam, have similar customs like the Magh Bihu, they differ in certain features. Describe the manner in which the Kacharis celebrate their festival during the time of Assamese Magh Bihu.

Ans: Among many other communities of Assam, the Kacharis is the most numerous tribe of Assam and they have similar customs like the Assamese people, though these differ in certain features. They also tie cord round the fruit bearing trees. They offer rice to the " Flying - Sinking and the Moving" that is to birds, fish and animals like dogs and pigs. On the day of Domahi they put a mark of water mixed with cowdung around their granary. They set fire to Bhelaghars before dawn and before crows come out their nests,and setting fire to Bhelaghars to them to be On the special prepogative of cowherd boys. They made prayer for glory to their village, disease not to enter to their village and village may be filled with paddy and riches. On the seventh day of Magh Bihu they clean the utensils, sacrifice fowls to Bathow and go out for carol singing.It is the custom of Magan.

Q4. Describe the different kinds of sports and martial games associated with Magh Bihu. How did the young poeple in earlier times prepare themselves for participating in the martial arts ?

Ans: The different kinds of sports and martial games associated with Magh Bihu are wrestling, racing, jumping, buffalo fighting, egg fighting. In earlier times sword play and javelin throwing were customary.

In earlier times young people used to make camps on dry river banks and exercise themeselves in the arts and it was found necessary to defend the land from enemy.

Q5. Kati Bihu, according to the author, can not be called a festival as such. How is kati Bihu is celebrated in Assam ?

Ans: Among the three Bihus observed in Assam, Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu has little public significance. Kati Bihu is observed on the first calender day of Assamese month 'Kati'. Farmers observed Kati Bihu inorder to protect their corp and offer pray to goddess laxmi for rich harvest. In the family yard a light is put at the foot of tulsi. And farmers plants a small bamboo in the field and lights an earthen lamp at its foot in their paddy fields and chant some mantras to protect the maturing paddy from pests. Some person light the akash banti hanging from a tall bamboo.

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Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi Important Questions Answers

Q1. Why does the author believe that the fire rituals associated with Magh Bihu have an Indo-European origin ?

Ans: The author believes that the fire rituals associated with Magh Bihu have an Indo European origin, on the next morning of Uruka or on the day of Domahi, People set fire to the Bhelaghar and Meji with the offering of God's names. Red flames warm the people so long shivering in cold. After the fire, the half-burn sticks are scattered in the fields and the pieces are thrown near the fruit bearing trees as the belief of increasing the fertility of fields and gardens. Europeans also performing the fire rituals. They lighted Lentern and Midsummer fire in the belief of the efficacy of ashes and embers as a means of fertility.

Q2. What is the belief of European on the lighted Lentern and midsummer fire rituals ?

Ans: On the lighted lentern and midsummer fire European believe that the lighted Lentern and midsummer fire had the belief in the efficacy of ashes and embers as a means of fertility. And some of them had the custom of tying bands of straw round tree trunks to render them fruithful.

Q3. What is the belief regarding the ashes and half burnt bamboos ?

Ans: People set fire to the Bhelaghar and Meji with the offering of God's names. It is beleive that the Red flames warm the people so long shivering in cold. After the fire, the half-burn sticks are scattered in the fields and the pieces are thrown near the fruit bearing trees as the belief of increasing the fertility of fields and gardens.

Q4. Give a elaborate account of the celebrations associated with Uruka ?

Ans: The night before Magh Bihu is called Uruka, It is the night of feasts. This is the highlight of the Magh Bihu. People keep preparing for days for this occasion. People in villages and in many areas build temple like structures,it is called Bhelaghor or Meji. It is made with green bamboo and dried banana leaves and straw. Uruka festing may be a family affair or communal. In the community kitchen begin the preparations. Various dishes, vegetables, fish, eggs and meat items are made and the women folk prepare sweets such as Pitha, Laru, mah-karai, takeli pitha, sunga pitha, sunga saul, borarice at home. After the festing is over, The next day early in the morning people ties thin strips of bamboo or hay around the fruit bearing trees. Womenfolk clean the house and cooking pans and all take a purifying bath. Then the community gathers to light the Meji ghar, the male folk and children move around the mejis and pray for a better harvest in the year ahead, set fire and offer eatables to the god of fire Agni. People later indulge in traditional Jolpan breakfast. Indigenous games such as wrestling, racing, jumping, buffalo fighting, Egg fighting are the parts of the celebrations. Community fishing by the tribes in the large wetlands can be also seen in some areas.

Q5. What is the significance of Magh Bihu among the people of Assam ?

Ans: Magh Bihu is also known as Bhogali Bihu. The term ‘bhog’ means food which signifies the abundance of crops as during this festival people enjoy various dishes together. The festival which is called Bihu in Assam is also celebrated in other parts of India and is known by different names such as Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Lohri.

Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu has rich historical significance. the primary occupation in India is farming. People mostly rely on agriculture for a living. Thus, Assam celebrates this festival during the time of harvest as it marks the end of the harvest season in Assam. There is a feeling of happiness and contentment in the air around this time.

The farmers feel a great sigh of relief after the tremendous hard work and this festival is the time to taste the fruit of their hard work. It brings wealth, prosperity to the farmers as they sell their harvest. They feel financially or economically upgraded as the seeds of their hard work soon, begin to ripe.

In the ‘uruka night’, people get together and make arrangements outside their houses, cook delicious food and enjoy festing together. People enjoy an entire night by singing Bihu songs and tapping their feet to the rhythm of ‘dhol ‘ which is a traditional musical instrument. They also play different kinds of games and exchange sweets among each other. These activities take place under a small cottage; known as ‘bhelghor’, build especially for this occasion.

Bhogali Bihu means various food items like chira, pitha, laru, curd etc. Indigenous games such as wrestling, racing, jumping, buffalo fighting, Egg fighting are the parts of the celebrations, Community fishing by the tribes in the large wetlands can be also seen. Earlier times martial games, like swordplay and javelin throwing were also customary.

Q6. “Uruka feasting may be a family affair or communal.” Justify the relevance of this statement with a detailed account of the customs or rituals observed during the Uruka.

Ans: Uruka festing may be a family affair or communal. In the community kitchen begin the preparations. Various dishes, vegetables, fish, eggs and meat items are made and the women folk prepare sweets such as Pitha, Laru, mah-karai, takeli pitha, sunga pitha, sunga saul, borarice at home. After the festing is over, The next day early in the morning people ties thin strips of bamboo or hay around the fruit bearing trees. Womenfolk clean the house and cooking pans and all take a purifying batg. Then the community gathers to light the Meji ghar, the male folk and children move around the mejis and pray for a better harvest in the year ahead, set fire and offer eatables to the god of fire Agni. People later indulge in traditional Jolpan breakfast. Indigenous games such as wrestling, racing, jumping, buffalo fighting, Egg fighting are the parts of the celebrations. Community fishing by the tribes in the large wetlands can be also seen in some areas.

Q7. What does the ploughman do for the protection of his crops ?

Q8: What do the people have on lunch ? What is mah karai ?

Q9: Where do the women prepare rice beer ? How many days does the beer take to get matured in winter ?