Underlying Bond of Unity: Some Aspects of the Rabhas and the Garos

Rabhas are one of the largest communities of northeast India and spread throughout Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal and also some parts of Bangladesh. Claimed themselves as origin from Tibeto-Burman linguistics stocks, the Rabhas inherited one of the richest socio-cultural trends. They are sub-divided into Rongdani, Pati, Maitori, Bilotia, Hana, Chunga, Totla, Dahori etc. According to eminent anthropologist Dr Bhuban Mohan Das, “the Rabha society is dominated mainly by the Rongdani, Pati and Maitori sub-groups and from the point of population also they comprises the larger section of the Rabhas.”² Among these three sub-groups, Rangdani, spreads throughout the Goalpara district and the Patis dominated the bordering districts of Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam. On the other hand Maitories resides mainly from Lakhipur to Phulbari, the bordering areas of Meghalaya and Assam. The Dahori Rabhas are found at the nearby areas of the railway track lies from Goalpara town to Naranarayan bridge on the river Brahmaputra and surrounding areas of Agia-Lakhipur national highway of Assam. The above mentioned other sub-groups of Rabhas are spread at different parts of Goalpara and Darrang districts of Assam as well and also at some parts of Meghalaya, West Bengal and Bangladesh. According to Dr Bhuban Mohan Das the Rabhas are found largely at the southern banks of Brahmaputra of Goalpara district of Assam. According to some experts the Rabhas are originated from northern parts of Garo hill districts of Meghalaya. Because they used the Bhutan hill to demarcate the northern direction and Tura (district headquarters of present Garo hill of Meghalaya) for indicating southern direction which means that the Rabhas are inhabitants between these areas³.

On the other hand Garos are one of the major groups mainly spread over Meghalaya and bordering areas of Assam-Meghalaya. In Meghalaya they are distributed mainly at East Garo hill district and Jayantia hill district and at Assam are spread over some parts of districts of Kamrup, Goalpara and Mankachar. The group is also seen at Maimansingh area of Bangladesh. According to Milton S Sangma, ethnically and linguistically, the Garos belong to the great Bodo family, which at one time occupied a larger part of the valley of the Brahmaputra………… they are section of the Tibeto–Burman race of the Tibeto-Chinese family, whose cradle is said to have been the north-western China between the upper waters of Yang-tse-kiang and Ho-ang-ho ⁴. The Garos are belonging to the great Tibeto-Burman linguistic stocks. As a branch of these linguistics stocks, therefore, the Garo language has some close proximity with neighbouring communities, specially with the Rabhas. Therefore Major A. Playfair commented that it would be natural to suppose that the Rabha language resembled the standard Garo dialect⁵. It is believed that the Garos during their migration had established a kingdom at Ola-Olding-Tebrong-Changsim presently identified as Tukeswar, situated about three miles west of Krishnai, in the Goalpara district⁶. Therefore, from time immemorial due to existence of close habitation between the Rabhas and the Garos an explicable relationship is grown up in socio-cultural arena among them accordingly.

The influences and more it can be said as adaptability of each other become more conspicuous when we look in to their behavioural pattern like dresses codes etc. As example the Rugas, a sections of the Garos resembles closely regarding dress codes etc. with their Rabha counterpart. According to Major A Playfair, ‘passing from a consideration of linguistics affinity, I am inclined to think that a still more important link exists between the Rabhas and Rugas. I refer to the wearing by the Ruga women (and by some Chiboka who dwell near the Rugas) of the penta, a small ivory ear ornaments which, when inserted into a hole in the upper part of the ear, sticks out above it, and parallel to the side of the head. This ornament has its exact counterpart, but made of silver, among the Rangdaniya Rabhas, by whome it is called bola. The Rugas and the Chiboks also possess silver pentas, but they are only worn at the obsequies of the dead⁷.’

Rabha’s Hanaghora dance and Garo’s Wanggala or Gurewata

Hanaghora of the Rabhas is a post harvesting festival celebrated in the month of April in which Hanghora dance is performed. Initially, the skeleton of the body of a horse is prepared using wood and bamboo, the outer shape, of which is modelled using black and white cloths. Though a horse in shape, in concept, the head of the horse is made of a goat head with horns. The occasion is celebrated for three to four days throughout the Rabha dominated areas of Boko of Kamrup district of Assam. At the first day the horse shape motif which is wearing by a man is worshipped. In front of this motif eggs, earthen lamps, tulsi, traditional sword and shield (which seems to be heirlooms) etc are placed on a banana leaf are offered and worshipped. The puja is performed by the elderly lady of the house and after completion of the puja the eggs are broken and the tips of the horns are crowned with the broken egg-shells each and its fore part is smeared with oil and vermillion. Dance is an important part of the celebration and the dancer introduced his body through the belly of the horse and held it horizontally along the waist. The other dancer decorated as warriors holding sword and shield took up position on either side of the horseman and danced along with him in the same rhythm. The music consisted of drum, horn, cymbal and flute. The dance is started blowing the horn like a trumpet. When the dancers performed the dance, some singers sang songs of heroic as also erotic fervour. After the end of the performance for few days the head of the horse is strangled and the cloth over the body of the horn is removed. After this the skeleton of the horse is buried in earth which is known as ghorapota (ghora- horse, puta- to bury). When the ghoraputa concludes the Hanaghora event, the youths ceremoniously make a fun among themselves by wrestling in a muddy spot.

On the other hand Wangala or Gurewata (gure- horse) is also a post harvesting festival celebrated by the Garos. Except the Duals section and some plains Garo all the people from Garo community celebrates the festival. Major A Playfair depicted that among the Akawes and Chisaks of the north and north-eastern hills a curious feature of the ceremony is the manufacture of gure or ‘horses’ out of pieces of plantain-stem for the body and of bamboo for the head and legs. The image of the ‘horse’ is laid on the floor of the nokma’s (village headman) house and the assembled guests dance and sing around it the whole night long, with the usual intervals for refreshments. Early the next morning, the ‘horse’ is taken to the nearest river and launched on the water to find its way down stream on the current. For those who possess the necessary paraphernalia, the gure takes the shape of a horse’s head of large size, made of straw and covered with cloth⁸. Major A Playfair further observed that the villages of Rongrong, which, when in use, was ornamented with discs of brass on both sides of the face. Its eyes and ears were of the same metal and between the ears were fixed a pair of wild goat’s horns⁹. Describing the position through which the form of gure is used, Playfair noted that the head is mounted on a stick, which a man holds before him in such a way that the head comes up to the level of his chest. Two straps pass over his shoulders to relive his hands of the weight. The body of the ‘horse’ is then built round his own body with cane and cloth. For a tail, yak’s tails are fastened in with his own hair, which, for the occasion, is allowed to hang down instead of being tied up. The performer thus apparelled, commences to dance a shuffling step to the usual music. In front of him dances the priest, who goes through the pantomime of beckoning to the animal to come to him. The remaining guests of the nokma form a queue behind the ‘horse’, and dance after it. When the first man gets tired another takes his place and the dancing goes on right through the night. A pleasant part of the performance is the pelting of the gure with eggs. A piece of egg-shell was still sticking to the horn of the gure which was shown to me¹⁰.

From analysis it can easily be said that the Hanaghora of Rabhas and the Wangala or Gorewata of the Garos have close conformity not only from the point of occasion but also from its way of performance. The occasion and season for the performance, use of horse in symbolic forms, common use of eggs, and prevalence of horns as a blowing instrument during the dance signifies the celebration as a common event between these two separate identities. It should be worth mentioning that while a VKIC team conducting field survey at the Dakhilipara, a bordering village of Assam-Meghalaya border of Boko area in Kamrup district of Assam, documented the Hanaghora of the Rabhas. During the quarry the performer of the celebration admitted that they have adopted the festival from the Garos of nearby hills in a long past. It is informed that the Garos observed the festival traditionally and in historic time the later discard the festival and drowned it on a river. Later the Rabhas, inhabited in the plains rescued the festival from the river and started to celebrate it. The statements provided by the Rabha performers reveal the fact that both the communities have celebrate the festival with much prom and gaiety with some commonalities traditionally. But because of the conversion of the Garos to the Christianity they gave away this important celebration. Their neighbour community Rabhas (who are not converted) continued it and today also consider that once upon a time their garobhai (Garo brother) also used to celebrate it. Some Rabha village headman of the area informed us that because of giving away of such type of celebrations by the Garos, a distance of mental make up is increased between the two communities. Focusing on the ill effects of conversion of Christianity upon the Sanatan tradition, Milton S Sangma, therefore comments that ‘it is essential therefore, that the religion (Garo’s), its philosophy, its various forms of worship and sacrifices are recorded before they are completely disappear from the scene’¹¹.

Barong System

In every human civilization marriage ceremonies and the rituals after the death are regarded as a most sacred and purest performance and are regarded as important elements of cultural arena. Generally these particular events are performed with utmost sanctity and strict rules and regulations in which only the persons belong to those particular community can participate. In these performances the presence of other communities are generally socially prohibited. But in context of the marriage ceremony and ritual after death the Rabha community has practiced some unique tradition. The above mentioned two institutions among the Rabhas are performed in open courtyard where an area is surrounded by Jeoras (criss-cross of bamboo lathics) with three open gates. Only the aged persons of the Rabha community can enter in this surrounded area. In the demarcated area the peoples use to sit in a particular line of seat reserved for them. These seats are called as ‘Barong’. In marriage ceremony there are six ‘Barong’ and four in ritual after death. Interestingly in these two institutions, the Garos, though they are conspicuously a different ethnic groups with own cultural identity, have position at Barong traditionally. Probably as neighbouring community they had a close religio-cultural relationship; as a result they got a special position and respect in Rabha society. But after the conversion of the Garos to Christianity, they discarded the tradition of participating in these sacred celebrations and the Rabhas also left the custom of inviting the Garos. But still the reservation of Barongs for the Garos prevails in these two institutions of the Rabhas and elderly Rabhas sit at the Barong representing the Garos and thus continue the tradition. In a book titled, Rabha Samajor Bidhi Byvastha [Rules and Regulations of the Rabha Society] published in 1996, there is a clause to impose punishment and fine if a Rabha ties the knot with a Garo. This reveals the tragedy of conversion for which a beautiful religio-cultural traditional understanding, which prevailed from time immemorial between two neighbouring communities, collapsed. It is yet another example of the change of a cultural tradition as a result of conversion. Had this cultural understanding continued between these two communities then surely it would have had a harmonious influence on the present relationship of the Rabha and the Garos in the present Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council.

Underlying Bond of Unity: Some special reference with the Rabhas

Rabhas are mainly agriculturalist with a deep rooted cohesion with the nature, thus rich in observing religio-cultural practices in their day-to-day life. Right from the sowing to harvesting as well as from the areas of fishing to curing disease, they practiced lots of rites and rituals throughout the year. In Rabha society two types of rites and rituals (Puja) are observed namely “Bia-Thakai” and “Bai-Dangkai”. The first one is done in household level and the second in mass level respectively. In ‘Bai-Thakai’ rites and ritual is done to avert the evils by a priest through sacrifice of bird or animal household level. On the other hand ‘Bai-dangkai’ is precautionary measures performed in mass level which obviously turns into festival. In Rabha denomination ‘Bai’ means god and ‘Thakai’ is sacrifice. Of these two types of performance ‘Bai Dangkai’ which is done in mass participation has far reaching importance amongst the Rabhas. At first with the need of the hour through such types of rites and rituals, a process starts where all sections of the Rabhas can participate in a common cultural unity. In these cultural transmit all pervasive rites and rituals are adopted and generalize without ignoring the customary beliefs of every Rabha groups which resulted in creating an omnipresent and common socio-religious atmosphere amongst the Rabhas. Secondly it helps the Rabhas to maintain an intimate relationship with neighbouring other communities which is reflected through their presence in the socio-religious performance by the first that continued from time immemorial. Here we will discuss about some ‘Baidangkai’s where not only the various groups of Rabhas but also other neighboring communities are unite through a common cultural thread and participate in these festivals accordingly.

Baikho or Khokshi Festival:

The most popular festival celebrated by the Rabhas is the Baikho or Khokshi, a festival of the agrarian society. Baikho festival is celebrated before the seasonal agricultural activities of the paddy fields where Goddess Baikho is worshipped in the month of Jestha [May-June]. Generally the full moon day of the Jestha month is preferred for the celebration where grains are worshipped for prosperity. The Maitori Rabhas that are spread from Lakhipur to Phulabari area of Assam-Meghalaya border mainly celebrate the Baikho festival. On the other hand, the Dahori Rabhas mainly perform the Khokshi festival which pomp and gaiety. In this puja, the ‘Baibra’ or the Deoris dances on burning coal for which it is also called as Agni Puja. Among the Rongdani Rabhas, this agricultural festival is known as Baikhosung and they celebrate the same at the areas of Dhanrai of the Darmang Hill, Chidai and Ronghai and Rabhagri areas of present Meghalaya. Baikho or Khokshi or Baikhosung is celebrated by these Rabaha groups in the month of Jestha. It is at this time the Maitori celebrate the festival on a full moon day, the Dahoris on a Sunday and Ramdani celebrate it on a select day of the month.

The History

On a day of Jestha month in 1950, social activist and reformer Late Jogen Banthou [MLA, Meghalaya] and his supporters of the Rabha communities started a festival that is suited to all the groups in the name of Baikho at Photamati village of Meghalaya. For the first time it was performed on a stage. But the attempt failed. After this in 1980’s 90’s attempt was made in the leadership of Shri Sandesh Baksak to celebrate it in a disciplined way befitting the need of the age. But this attempt also failed to materialize. At last, during the concluding part of the last century, with the efforts of various Rabha organization from both Meghalaya and Assam the Baikho festival is celebrated in joint endeavour in the month of Jestha. Specially in Assam Baikho festival transforms into a all-pervasive and a new popular form at present in which all people can participate equally.

In these new forms of Baikho festival various elements of religio-cultural groups practiced by the Rabhas from Goalpara and Kamrup district have incorporated and performed with all acceptability. This new form of Baikho festival was first started in 1982 by various Rabha organizations and individuals at Nadiapara, located at a distance of 25 kms from Goalpara town. For the purpose a Baikho Hancho [Baikho Hill] was identified and on the top of the hill a Baikho temple was built accordingly and the puja as well as the festival was started. At present with the support and co-operation of different organizations this festival is celebrated at various places of Goalpara and Kamrup district of Assam and accordingly at Meghalaya.

The earliest form of Baikho puja was that on the days of Jestha month the heads of the houses of the village went to a dense forest in the leadership of the priest and worshipped at the lithic that had already been established. For the whole day they worshipped there, sacrificed fowls or eggs offered rice beer [susai] and fooksak [a saltless preparation of rice powder, plants of medicinal value and meat of sacrificial birds baked in bamboo tubes] for the well being of grains and paddy. After the day-long worship in the dense forest they return in the evening and in their return journey they have to break the killa [fort] made of stout branches of trees and thorny creepers [suprung leuwa] that is built in the entrance of the village. The breaking of killa signifies the purity of the priest. After breaking the killa the priest performs leuwa bekai [tug of war] with the participation of both men and women. For the next two-three succeeding days all the villagers perform hoimaru song, Nukgimkai song Sathorekkai song. In the Nagargaon area of the Garo district of Meghalaya goat is sacrificed for the puja. On the other hand in the nearby areas of Goalpara, such as Dariduri, Hilldanga, Bamundanga, etc. the festival is known as Khokshi. In Khokshi the priest has to perform not only the killa breaking but also to dance on burning coal to prove their sanctity before the villagers. It is worth mentioning that only because of performing dance on burning coal, the puja is called as Khokshi as well, which denotes Agni puja also.

In Khokshi puja a Gramadevata named as Hasong is worshipped through sacrifice of pig, fowl, etc. another Twenty two Gods and Goddesses and two Dvarapala [gate keepers] is worshipped with Hasong Gramadevata.

At present in the Baikho puja that is celebrated in wider level the above-mentioned elements of different areas are incorporated and reformed in acceptable way for all. Specially the dance on burning coal that is popular only among the Dahori Rabhas are all pervasively incorporated to Baikho maintaining all the ceremonious customs. The priest, Baibra [who performs dance in burning coals] and the Deoris used to take shelter at the Baikho temple or the house of the main priest, three days before the puja and observed certain rules and restrictions. In general the female Baibras resides in the house of the priest and the male at the temple. The Baibras in mensuration period is prohibited in al the religious performances. From preparing fooksak to managing all the religious activities for those days the Baibras have an important role. The traditional puja at the forest as well as at the temple is performed during the morning hours and the killa breaking is done in the evening. On the other hand, the breaking of Vrata that is observed by the Deoris or priests in the past done by their mother, wife or sisters through offering of Rasong Sako [holy beer] and Suthar [rice beer] before dancing on burning coal is now performed by the female Baibras. Nowadays, the Hoimaro song that is performed in the Phulabari area is sung while encircling the burning coal. Furthermore to test the sanctity of the male Baibras who perform dance on burning coal the female Baibras poured water or Jonga [rice beer] at the feet of the first Baibra after the completion of the dance.

‘Lew Tona’ (tug of war) is one of the important parts of present Baikho puja. According to the tradition ‘lewa tona’ is performed amongst the Baibras at first and then continued amongst different groups. Both men and women take part in this competition. At present the groups are formed on the basis of the village level and parties from distant villages are come to take part in this competition.

Sacrifice is an integral part of Baikho festival. It is seen that at present Baikho observed at different places, instead of sacrifice, fruits, sugar, mustered oil. inscent sticks and vegetarian Fooksak backed in bamboo tube with medicinal plants, furns, ghee, rice powder etc is offered. On the otherhand the Fooksak at Nagar gaon area are prepared with backing of meat of sacrificial bord and animal, rice powder and medicinal plants. Another important aspects of present Baikho puja is performance of earthen idols representing god and goddesses that worshipped in different Rabha dominated areas of Assam and Meghalaya. In Baikho festival monolithic representing various god and goddesses are worshipped at nearby forests at first and then again are worshipped before the earthen idols at the temple. It is interesting that maintaining the age old tradition the lithic is permanently established behind the earthen idol. These earthen idols are immersed after use of three years. These god and goddess are traditionally worshipped through out Rabha dominated area by different groups and now at Baikho they are worshipped in a common platform. At first the head prist offers the puja which is followed by the Baibras and then general people affer their puja. In the puja the devotees offer inscent sticks, sugar and mustered oil. from the rught-side the position of these god and goddess are- 1) sibudarmang (Siva), 2) Sisurani (Parvati), 3) tamai, 4) Champai (Durga), 5) Aayasari, (Laxmi), 6) Daduri, 7) Rangmudi, 8) Rangmari 9) Chayamari, 10) Khusure, 11) Nak Kati, 12) Kansa. At the Bardamal area, Marokhetri, the commander of historic king Dodan, is worshipped separately at a temple like concrete chamber.

Nevertheless, their iconographic details including those of the male figures as available from the images entrined inside the Barjhara- Nadiapara temple are noted below.

S N	Name & Sex	Dresses, ornaments etc.	Ayudhas/Bhangima		Vahana
			Rt. hand	Lt. hand
1.	Sibudarmang (Male)	Wearing tiger skin at waiste, bare body,Jatamukuta,Rudraksa made bangles land armlets.	Abhaya mudra	Holding Trisul	Nil
2.	Siburani	Wearing blouse ( green ), mekhala upto bosom ( white ), scarf, long hair upto waiste, heavy bangles.	Nil	Nil	Nil
3.	Tamai	Wearing blouse ( green ),kiritimukata, mekhala ( blue).	Raised, holding spear.	Pendant, also holding spear.	Standing tigers beside right hand.
4.	Champai	Wearing blouse ( green ), mekhala with light, vertical strifes, wearing bangles.	Raised, holding spear.	Raised holding spear.	Standing tiger on right side.
5.	Ayachari	Wearing blouse ( green ), mekhela- skyblue colour kiritamukuta ( crown).	Raised, holding spear.	Raised holding spear.	Nil
6.	Daduri	- Ditto – lower garment white in colour.	Raised holding spear.	Raised holding spear.	Nil
7.	Rangmudi ( Baykho)	Green blouse, lower garment light pink.	Raised, holding spear .	Pendent holding spear.	Nil
8.	Rangmari	Green blouse lower garment light pink.	Ditto	- Ditto -	Nil
9.	Saimari	-Ditto-	- Ditto -	- Ditto -	NilRabhas are one of the largest communities of northeast India and spread throughout Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal and also some parts of Bangladesh. Claimed themselves as origin from Tibeto-Burman linguistics stocks, the Rabhas inherited one of the richest socio-cultural trends. They are sub-divided into Rongdani, Pati, Maitori, Bilotia, Hana, Chunga, Totla, Dahori etc. According to eminent anthropologist Dr Bhuban Mohan Das, “the Rabha society is dominated mainly by the Rongdani, Pati and Maitori sub-groups and from the point of population also they comprises the larger section of the Rabhas.”12 Among these three sub-groups, Rangdani, spreads throughout the Goalpara district and the Patis dominated the bordering districts of Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam. On the other hand Maitories resides mainly from Lakhipur to Phulbari, the bordering areas of Meghalaya and Assam. The Dahori Rabhas are found at the nearby areas of the railway track lies from Goalpara town to Naranarayan bridge on the river Brahmaputra and surrounding areas of Agia-Lakhipur national highway of Assam. The above mentioned other sub-groups of Rabhas are spread at different parts of Goalpara and Darrang districts of Assam as well and also at some parts of Meghalaya, West Bengal and Bangladesh. According to Dr Bhuban Mohan Das the Rabhas are found largely at the southern banks of Brahmaputra of Goalpara district of Assam. According to some experts the Rabhas are originated from northern parts of Garo hill districts of Meghalaya. Because they used the Bhutan hill to demarcate the northern direction and Tura (district headquarters of present Garo hill of Meghalaya) for indicating southern direction which means that the Rabhas are inhabitants between these areas13.   On the other hand Garos are one of the major groups mainly spread over Meghalaya and bordering areas of Assam-Meghalaya. In Meghalaya they are distributed mainly at East Garo hill district and Jayantia hill district and at Assam are spread over some parts of districts of Kamrup, Goalpara and Mankachar. The group is also seen at Maimansingh area of Bangladesh. According to Milton S Sangma, ethnically and linguistically, the Garos belong to the great Bodo family, which at one time occupied a larger part of the valley of the Brahmaputra………… they are section of the Tibeto–Burman race of the Tibeto-Chinese family, whose cradle is said to have been the north-western China between the upper waters of Yang-tse-kiang and Ho-ang-ho 14. The Garos are belonging to the great Tibeto-Burman linguistic stocks. As a branch of these linguistics stocks, therefore, the Garo language has some close proximity with neighbouring communities, specially with the Rabhas. Therefore Major A. Playfair commented that it would be natural to suppose that the Rabha language resembled the standard Garo dialect15. It is believed that the Garos during their migration had established a kingdom at Ola-Olding-Tebrong-Changsim presently identified as Tukeswar, situated about three miles west of Krishnai, in the Goalpara district16. Therefore, from time immemorial due to existence of close habitation between the Rabhas and the Garos an explicable relationship is grown up in socio-cultural arena among them accordingly.   The influences and more it can be said as adaptability of each other become more conspicuous when we look in to their behavioural pattern like dresses codes etc. As example the Rugas, a sections of the Garos resembles closely regarding dress codes etc. with their Rabha counterpart. According to Major A Playfair, ‘passing from a consideration of linguistics affinity, I am inclined to think that a still more important link exists between the Rabhas and Rugas. I refer to the wearing by the Ruga women (and by some Chiboka who dwell near the Rugas) of the penta, a small ivory ear ornaments which, when inserted into a hole in the upper part of the ear, sticks out above it, and parallel to the side of the head. This ornament has its exact counterpart, but made of silver, among the Rangdaniya Rabhas, by whome it is called bola. The Rugas and the Chiboks also possess silver pentas, but they are only worn at the obsequies of the dead17.’   Rabha’s Hanaghora dance and Garo’s Wanggala or Gurewata Hanaghora of the Rabhas is a post harvesting festival celebrated in the month of April in which Hanghora dance is performed. Initially, the skeleton of the body of a horse is prepared using wood and bamboo, the outer shape, of which is modelled using black and white cloths. Though a horse in shape, in concept, the head of the horse is made of a goat head with horns. The occasion is celebrated for three to four days throughout the Rabha dominated areas of Boko of Kamrup district of Assam. At the first day the horse shape motif which is wearing by a man is worshipped. In front of this motif eggs, earthen lamps, tulsi, traditional sword and shield (which seems to be heirlooms) etc are placed on a banana leaf are offered and worshipped. The puja is performed by the elderly lady of the house and after completion of the puja the eggs are broken and the tips of the horns are crowned with the broken egg-shells each and its fore part is smeared with oil and vermillion. Dance is an important part of the celebration and the dancer introduced his body through the belly of the horse and held it horizontally along the waist. The oth
10.	Khusure (male)	Body, grey colour, gray, golden loin cloth, raised hairy head, kanthahar, a pices of bone in the mouth, demonic expression.	- Ditto -	- Ditto -	Nil
11.	Nakkati	Green blouse, white lower garments, head-hair flowing down, kiritimukuta, kanthahar.	- Ditto -	- Ditto -	Nil
12.	Kansa (male)	Hairy headgear, moustache, drooping beard from the chin, waist belt, loin cloth, expression ferocious.	Holding a knife (Dao)	Holding a conical- busket like instrument.	Nil

It should be worth mentioning that in Baikho festival Sibudarmang or Siva gets special importance and before the idol earthen lamps are offered in a specialy constructed bamboo frams. At the present Baikho festival traditional Hoi Maro song, Sathar Song and dance competition is seen and the participation is also worth mentioning.

(The article is prepared on the basis of facts gathered during recent survey amongst the Rabhas and then the analyses thereof)