Chapter 20: Eating Together (Assam Bihu Festival)
मिलकर खाएं (असम का बिहू त्योहार, भेला घर, उरुका एवं बोरा चावल)
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- Bihu Festival of Assam: Celebrated on the arrival of the new rice harvest; Magh Bihu is celebrated on 14th and 15th January (1st and 2nd Magh of Assamese calendar).
- Uruka: The first day of Magh Bihu is called 'Uruka'; on this day, the whole community prepares food together and feasts.
- Bhela Ghar & Meji: Temporary pavilion and tall bonfire towers erected in fields using bamboo, thatch, and dry grass; villagers sing and dance around it at night and set it ablaze the following morning.
- Bora & Cheva Rice: 'Bora' is a common variety of sticky glutinous rice cultivated in Assam; cooked inside bamboo hollows or wide iron pans ('Tao') covered with banana leaves.
- Mid-Day Meal Right: Every child in India up to primary/elementary school has the legal constitutional right to a freshly cooked, hygienic, and nutritious mid-day meal at school.
- Trap: CBSE states Magh Bihu is celebrated in October. Correct: Magh Bihu is celebrated on **14th and 15th January**.
- Trap: CBSE asks what 'Bora' is. Correct: A common variety of **sticky rice** grown in Assam.
- Trap: CBSE states Bhela Ghar is made of bricks and stone. Correct: Made of **bamboo and grass/thatch**.
NCERT Core Facts: Assamese Harvest Culture, Sticky Rice & Community Dining
Class 4 Chapter 20 explores the cultural significance of the Bihu harvest festival in Assam and the universal right to school meals.
1. Magh Bihu Festival Customs & Terminology
| Term / Custom | Official NCERT Fact | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Celebration Dates | 14th & 15th January | Coincides with the harvesting of new paddy crops. |
| Uruka (उरुका) | First day of Magh Bihu | Community cooks dinner in the open fields; night-long celebration. |
| Bhela Ghar (भेला घर) | Temporary shelter | Built from bamboo and thatch in paddy fields for the community feast. |
| Meji (मेजी) | Tall bonfire structure | Lit at dawn on the second day after offering prayers and puffed rice. |
| Bora Rice (बोरा चावल) | Sticky glutinous rice | Traditional Assamese rice variety that turns sticky when cooked. |
2. Preparing 'Cheva' Rice in Assam
- Water is boiled in a large vessel called Tao.
- A perforated pot containing soaked Bora rice is placed on top and covered tightly with banana leaves.
- The rice cooks in pure steam, producing soft, sweet sticky rice eaten with fish curry, curd, and jaggery.
Test Your Mastery: Eating Together (Assam Bihu Festival)
Authentic CBSE exam questions tested directly from this NCERT chapter.
In Assam, 'Bora' is a common variety of which food grain that becomes sticky after cooking?
असम में 'बोरा' किस अनाज की एक सामान्य किस्म है जो पकने के बाद चिपचिपी हो जाती है?
On which dates is the harvest festival 'Magh Bihu' celebrated in the state of Assam?
असम राज्य में फसल कटाई का त्योहार 'माघ बिहू' किन तिथियों को मनाया जाता है?
When is Magh Bihu celebrated in Assam?
On 14th and 15th January (1st and 2nd Magh of Assamese calendar).
What is 'Bora' in NCERT Class 4 EVS?
A popular variety of sticky rice grown in Assam, eaten during Bihu.
What is 'Bhela Ghar'?
A temporary shelter constructed from bamboo and thatch used for community feasting during Bihu in Assam.