BORDOISILA
Bordoisila - The Wind
At the month of Chaut (March and April) there occurs a wind which we say to be “The Bordoisila”. It is the myth of the people that in order to make us aware that our very own festival Bihu has arrived. It is the belief of the Assamese people that there is a reason behind its occurrence and according to the Assamese mythology “The Bordoisila” is taken as to be her anger towards her husband and her in –laws .Fighting with her husband she leaves her husband and her in-laws and rushed to her mother’s home .While she rushes to her home due to anger she destroys whatever comes in her way and causes a lot of harm and damage to life and property. So, in order to make her calm and quiet it is the belief of the Assamese people that they present her kakoi-phoni (a special type of comb made of bamboo used in ancient times by the Assamese people) to comb her hairs and borpira ( a kind of stool made of wood ) to sit on it. There is also a tradition to protect themselves from disaster i.e., the Assamese people used to write a Shlok from the holy book of the Hindus “The Bhagawad Gita” called as “Narayan Kawaz” and it is like this -
contd...
“Shree Krishnaio Vashudevaio
Doiwoki Nandanaisho
Nanda Gupakumaro
Govindaye namaho namaho”
continued...
This shlok is written on the leaves of the Nahor tree (a valuable tree which has many qualities).
There is also a tradition of keeping ‘saaloni’ (a strainer made of bamboo used to clean the dirts from the grains, especially rice) in the sutaal (courtyard) to make “Bordoisila” calm and people also throw rice in the sutaal for the same. People also belief that when this storm comes the males were being advised not to be out of their houses because it is believed that according to Bordoisila they were coming to fight/tackle her. If it happens the wind or the Bordoisila becomes more ferocious and terrific. So the males didn’t go out of the house.
After the end of the month ‘Bohaag’ (April – May) which is the first month of the Assamese calendar , “The Bordoisila” returns from her mother’s home and the same is repeated again. This time instead of being angry she becomes emotional and burst out into tears.
This is belief behind “The Bordoisila” among the Assamese people.