Bihu, a festival of colors and revelry, celebrates the spirit of life and is celebrated according to the life cycle of the paddy crop. As rice is a staple crop of Assam, it symbolizes life or what life is about. There are three Bihus celebrated in Assam and these mark the three phases in agriculture or rather paddy farming. Rongali Bihu is celebrated when the seeds are sown, Kati Bihu when the saplings are relocated, and the third one is Magh Bihu which is celebrated during the harvesting season. Around Bihu, people decorate their houses with various kind of art and crafts items because the Assamese people believe in preparing the decorations at home, as it give an aura of completeness to the house. These crafts are easy to prepare and can be crafted without much hassle. So here are a few items you can prepare by yourself at home.
Bihu Craft Ideas
Decorative Lamps
Items Needed:
Colorful Molding Clay, Vegetable oil, Corn oil, Wick, Craft paints
Procedure:
Bihu looks incomplete without adorning your house with proper decorations and craft items. Here are a few ideas on Bihu crafts to adorn your house with.
Bihu Crafts
- Make a small oval shaped bowl by molding the clay.
- Press the clay at one side by a rounded object to form a lip.
- Use a pencil or a skewer to press it.
- Dry it to make it hard.
- Paint it when it is dry. Use various colors that you feel are suitable with the festive moods of Bihu.
- Dry the paint.
- Place the wick right at the centre of the lamp (Diya).
- Cut the wick according to your choice.
- Light the wick after filling the Diya with oil.
Sparkler for Bihu
Items Needed:
Empty toiler paper roll, Red construction paper, Wick, Tape, Glue
Procedure:
Items Needed:
Empty toiler paper roll, Red construction paper, Wick, Tape, Glue
Procedure:
- Use the red construction paper to cover the toilet paper.
- Measure the diameter of the roll.
- Cut two circles larger than the diameter of the roll.
- Create a hole in one circle.
- Make a 5 inches long cord.
- Put the cord into the hole to pull it about an inch.
- Use a tape to add the one inch long cord or yarn with the construction paper.
- Stick the circle of paper at one end of the toilet paper roll.
- Leave the longer end of the wick outside.
- Crease over the parts of the circle that are sticking out.
- Glue the edges of the toilet paper roll.
- Connect the other circle of the paper at the other end but with no yarn or cord.
Candy Bihu Bouquet
Items Needed:
5 Silk Rose Buds, a bunch of Pearly, 2 Thin Gauge wires, 1 Thick Gauge wire, 9 Lollipops, Silk Leaves, Green or White stem tape, Ribbon
Procedure:
Items Needed:
5 Silk Rose Buds, a bunch of Pearly, 2 Thin Gauge wires, 1 Thick Gauge wire, 9 Lollipops, Silk Leaves, Green or White stem tape, Ribbon
Procedure:
- Trim the lollipop stick below the wrapper.
- Later, tape will be used to attach the sticks like flowers (Lollipops should be able to move around).
- Clean and trim rose bud stems.
- Tape them.
- Put a twist in the wire around the stick to wire the lollipops.
- Repeat the process to make sure that the wire is not loose.
- Pearly will help you to soften the bouquet. Make it more flowery.
- Tape and wire the pearly. The wire should be positioned alongside the white piece of the pearly stand and then stem tape in place.
Bihu candle
Items Needed:
Peppermint Pattie, Lifesavers, Small plastic flower, Bow, Other candies, Ribbon,
Cellophane tape, Glue
Procedure:
Items Needed:
Peppermint Pattie, Lifesavers, Small plastic flower, Bow, Other candies, Ribbon,
Cellophane tape, Glue
Procedure:
- Use peppermint Pattie for the base.
- Wrap it in a foil.
- Use tape.
- Paste a bow at the top of the peppermint Pattie by glue.
- Centre loop of the bow should be cut.
- Take the outer wrapping off the Lifesavers roll.
- The foil wrap should stay in its actual place.
- The small plastic flower should be attached at the end of the lifesaver roll.
- It will create a candle.
- Other types of candies can also be used.
- Tape the base of the candle into the bow where from the centre loop was detached.
- Use ribbon and stickers to decorate the Bihu candle.
Flower broom
Items Needed:
Straw broom- 12 inches, Straw hat- 6 inches, Ruffle lace trim- 6 yards, Clothespins, Hot Glue Gun, Scissors, Brown cardboard (Lightweight), Silk flowers, Ribbon
Procedure:
Items Needed:
Straw broom- 12 inches, Straw hat- 6 inches, Ruffle lace trim- 6 yards, Clothespins, Hot Glue Gun, Scissors, Brown cardboard (Lightweight), Silk flowers, Ribbon
Procedure:
- Use your hand to half fold the straw hat.
- Put some weight on the straw hat as it takes proper shape.
- Use glue along the inner brim of the hat and use clothespins to clamp it.
- Dry it.
- Start to apply ruffle at the bottom and repeat this way up. Overlap the trim slightly each time to cover the straw hat. It will look almost like a girl's skirt.
- Use glue to the trim when you are wrapping it around.
- Keep working the same way until the entire broom is covered.
- Measure 8 inch diameter circle on the brown cardboard.
- Fold the half circle once again but don't push or cease it too hard.
- Use the tape at the edges to hold them together.
- Start wrapping the ruffle lace around the cardboard. Begin it at the outer edge and continue it (as it was done previously).
- Again glue a ruffle along the brim of the hat.
- Decorate the hat with artificial flowers and ribbon.
- Glue (hot) the handle at the back of the broom skirt.
- Use lot of hot glue to attach the hat with the handle.
- You can add a hanger to hang it and decorate your wall during Bihu.