Today is manuh bihu, the second day of Bohag Bihu, also known as Rongali Bihu.
This festival marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year. It also marks the beginning of the spring season of harvest.
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Several traditional and ethnic games and sports mark the celebration of Rongali Bihu across Assam.
Some of these traditional and ethnic games and sports which are centuries old are very well preserved at Majuli, the river island district of the State.
The satras of Majuli are instrumental in preserving these traditional and ethnic games and sports.
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Among these traditional and ethnic games and sports, mud game is one of the most favourite games during this spring festival.
It is believed that the vaishnavites of the satras of Majuli have been playing this mud game for the last 370 years.
The satradhikaars apply tilak on the foreheads of the devotees to herald the start of the mud game.
Apart from the devotees of historic satras like Aainiati Satra, Bengena Ati Satra, locals, both men and women, young and old of several parts of Majuli like Phuloni, Jugunidhari, and Naamkatoni also indulge in this traditional mud game.
The locals enjoy the game by applying mud on each other which is also a kind of invocation to the land for the agrarian people of this river island.
People also believe that by playing this mud game on Bohag Bihu keeps all kinds of skin diseases at bay.
Later, the locals take a community bath and take the blessings of the elders for peace and prosperity in the coming year.