A 20-year-old Muslim youth was termed a “kaafir" by his community for participating in Assam’s regional folk dance Bihu. It is a set of three important Assamese festivals in the state. The youth even claimed that he was “scrutinized from head to toe" by some people in his community because he participated in the Bihu dance.
The development comes days ahead of Guinness records on April 14, when the greatest ensemble of Bihu dancers will be seen in Assam as they attempt to take the vibrant folk dance of the state to a world platform. The youth, named Tajmahal Ali is from Murkokseleng village in Assam’s Jonai.
The youth also said he was watched as he performed Islamic customs like offering Namaz, keeping Roza (a fast) and reading Quran. “I have been dancing Bihu since childhood and have danced all forms of Bihu at some point of time on all platforms. As I belong to Islam, some people from my community say that belonging to Islam, I should not perform the dance," he said.
“They scrutinize me from head to toe as to what I am wearing to the masjid (mosque). Even though my family supports me, the Junabas (our teachers) call me Kafir and a curse to Islam. I feel hurt," he added.
With hardly a fortnight left for the state’s biggest festival marking the New Year, Rongali or Bohag bihu, preparations are underway in every village and city in Assam.
“On the other hand I receive lot of appreciation and adulation from the Hindu community who see my Bihu dance as an expression of my feeling” added Ali.
Preparations are underway in 31 districts of Assam in an effort to set a Guinness record for the world’s largest performance of Bihu on April 14 at the Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati, where 11,000 folk dancers shall take part.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to attend the event, organised by the Assam government at the initiative of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
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