Part 1.4 - Description of Saragdeo Puja

Saragdeo Puja is believed to be a puja of Surjya Debota. They celebrate this puja in the Assamese month of Ahin and sometimes in the month of Phalguna. This is conducted by the Sonowal Kacharis for the wellbeing of the family. Moreover if there is epidemic or drought in a society they believe that observance of this puja eliminates all these problems.

This puja is done both publicly and within the family also. Now-a-days some of the families celebrate this puja and they are trying to preserve their own custom and traditions by observing this festival. The dhekonari, baithori, mukudumi, borgiyari families perform this puja.

Several items are required for conducting the Swaragdeo puja. A kharahi, chang ghar made of banana sheath with three bamboo poles, dal, 120 saki, tamul-paan, mesaki, mejenga, nephaphu, korkora, merabhat, anguli pitha, sewabhat, hijuwa kol (pura or patot diya), pitha, hijuwa betgaj, hukan puthimas, 60 Nolsunga, kesa pithaguri, rohi mod and tolxora mod, eta tum, kosu gos, ulukher, tora gos, phutkola gos, kopah, an axe made from the wood of a sisupura tree, a ladder having 7 steps, ekhon hetamari, hogphul, nimokh, two hens (one white and the other black). The white hen is for Indra debota and the black one is symbol of black borsaroi. There is a custom of sacrificing the white hen and the petu is hung in the kharahi or khula. Then the priest places the blood of the sacrificed hen to the prasad. Each member of the family bows down and takes the blessings.

An informant^[1] of No. 2 Silagaon, Silapathar informed that they have started celebrating this puja after seven years. They celebrate this in order to get rid of the misfortunes. He also said that this puja is done for appeasing ‘Indra Debota’. Another informant^[2] of Mechu Kachari gaon of Silapathar informed that they celebrate this after every three years. Earlier they performed it every year. He also informed that when they were in Dibrugarh they stopped doing this puja. Suddenly, his father fell seriously ill, and then they did Naam-Kirtan. But he was not cured of the disease. So they went to Mongoloti and the mongoloti asked them to do the Saragdeo puja. They believe that now they are safe.

All the items are offered by the pujari and the axe made from the Sesu pora kath and taking the black hen the story of Borsarai is narrated. To perform the rituals of the puja a dhip is made. Pithaguri is sprinkled in this dhip and three chang ghors are made of banana sheath (symbolizes Indrapuri). One is offered to Betu Konwar.

Above the dhip, the offerings are shared in different koupats. Against each share a pair of nol chunga is inserted on the earth and they put water in one chunga and other mod in the other. The priest then sacrifices black hen and the blood is given in each share. Then the petu of the hen is put is the chang ghor. The white hen is sacrificed and offered to Surjya Debota and later the meat is served to the people present there. Then there is another custom of taking ‘lumukhi’ or lakhimi in a duloni to the granary.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Informant: Brajen Baglari

[2]:

Informant: Rakhal Kachari