Le tribù Rabha celebrano la festa di primavera

In India, il festival Baikho è una manifestazione religiosa indù che unisce la comunità per pregare per una buona stagione agricola

An Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priest dances around burning charcoal as part of rituals during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priests head to perform rituals before burning wood during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Rabha tribal girls in traditional attire hold earthen pots filled with traditional rice beer to serve Rabha Hindu priests after they walk barefoot over burning charcoal as part of rituals during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priests walk around tree branches as they perform rituals during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priests bless Rabha people in traditional attire during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An Indian Rabha tribal girl in traditional attire prepares a Hindu priest before he dances around burning charcoal as part of rituals during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priest serves traditional rice beer to the Rabha women in traditional attire as holy water during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priests perform rituals before burning wood during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priests burn wood during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priest prepares rice beer in earthen pots which will be served to the Rabha people as holy water during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An Indian Rabha tribal girl in traditional attire smears rice flour on another girl before Hindu priests dance around burning charcoal as part of rituals during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An Indian Rabha tribal Hindu priest runs barefoot over burning charcoal as part of rituals during Baikho festival at Gamerimura village along the Assam Meghalaya border, west of Gauhati, India, Saturday, June 4, 2022. Every year, the community in India's northeastern state of Assam celebrates the festival, to please a deity of wealth and ask for good rains and a good harvest. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Come ogni anno, la comunità Rabha, tibeto-birmana dell’Assam, nel nord-est dell’India, celebra a giugno la festa di primavera, ovvero il Baikho festival. Si tratta di una festa religiosa indù per auspicare piogge abbondanti e una buona stagione del raccolto.

Il festival si caratterizza per la grande quantità di colori, variopinti tra l’altro negli abiti tradizionali della gente del posto, e per l’atmosfera festosa in cui la comunità si riunisce e onora le sue tradizioni.

Danza al ritmo di tamburi, giochi e riti sacri sono tra le attività della celebrazione. Alcune delle usanze particolari della tribù sono imbrattarsi la faccia con farina di riso e versare birra di riso in vasi di terracotta per gli altri.

Il festival culmina con un falò che viene acceso dando fuoco a un’alta struttura fatta di fasci di bambù. Al tramonto, i sacerdoti indù offrono preghiere al dio del raccolto, dopo di che corrono sui carboni rimasti bollenti vicino al fuoco.

Foto Ap/Anupam Nath