Baokhungri Festival 2023 Celebration Details | How to Participate?

Last updated on August 26th, 2023 at 07:23 am

Baokhungri Festival 2023: The 10^th Baokhungri festival date for 2023 is out. This festival will be held at the foothills of Baokhungri Hills, Harinaguri, Kokrajhar, BTR, from 12 to 14 April 2023. This festival will be jointly organized by the Bodoland Tourism Department of the BTR government along with the Baokhungri Festival Organizing Committee of the BTR.

What is Baokhungri Festival?

On the auspicious day of Sankranti, a day before Bwisagu / Bihu, the Bodo people in BTR celebrate the Baokhungri festival, which is believed to be a time of adventure and festivities. The Baokhungri Festival lasts for 3 days.

Earlier, the festival was traditionally known as “Baukhungri Hajw Gakhwnai” or “Climbing of Baokhungri Hill” in English. But later, over several years, the BTC government started grandly organizing the festival, naming it the Baokhungri festival.

This festival promotes the local tourist spots and showcases the cultural extravaganza of the local people. During this festival, programs like a cultural show, ethnic food festival, indigenous sports, trekking, marathon race, etc., will be held during these 3 days. This festival attracts many visitors and is also a trade and commercial affair.

Baokhungri Festival 2023 Highlights

The Baokhungri festival 2023 date is announced, check the brief details below.

Festival Name	Baokhungri Festival
First Celebrated in	April 2013
Address/Location	Foothills of Baokhungri Hill in Harinaguri Village, Kokrajhar
Celebration Frequency	Annually
Duration	3 Days
Baokungri 2023 Start Date	12 April 2023
Baokungri 2023 End Date	14 April 2023

Baokhungri Festival 2023 Official Promo Video

The Tourism department of the BTC government has released the promotional video of the upcoming Baukhungri festival that is going to be held from 12 to 14 April 2023.

Baokhungri Festival 2023 Address/Location

The Baokhungri festival is celebrated yearly on the famous Baukhungri hills, located 10km southeast of Kokrajhar town, at Harinaguri, Kokrajhar, BTR. Many tribal people are living here.

Baokhungri Hill

The Baokhungri hill is a beautiful, natural, historical hill station at Harinaguri village in Kokrjhar. The height of Baokhungri hill is 1491 feet above sea level. It lies within the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the endangered golden langur and other wild animals, flora & fauna.

Baokhungri Festival 2023

The three-day 10^th Baukhungri festival at Harinaguri village in Kokrajhar will begin from 12 April to 14 April 2023. It’s celebrated the day before the Bwisagu, so it’s the pre-Bwisagu festival.

The Baokhungri Festival is organized by the Department of Tourism of the BTR government. The organization committee is created for the smooth functioning of the festival. They are responsible for the overall planning and smooth operation of the festival.

They conduct a mega festival which includes various programs like a cultural show, indigenous sports, trekking, marathon race, and other events that will be held during these three days. People from across the BTR area, Assam and other states and even foreigners also participate in different events where the attractive price is associated.

With this, the BTR govt has targeted to promote local tourism in the region to preserve the traditional culture of ethnic tribes.

Baokhungri Festival 2023 Programs Details

The 10 Baokhungri Festival 2023 program details, like an invitation, day 1 events, day 2 events, and day 3 events details, are shared below:

Baokhungri Hill Trekking Competition 2023

Climbing Baukhungri hill is the festival’s origin. It’s the main attraction point. To make it more attractive to trek the Baokhungri hill, the BTR government and the organizing committee organize the hill trekking competition separately for males and females.

Like every year, in the upcoming Baokhungri Festival 2023, the Baokhungri hill trekking competition will also occur. The schedule for the hill trekking competition has been released.

Date	Time	Activity
13 April 2023	8 AM	Flag off for Hills Trekking Competition
14 April 2023	12: 30 PM	Distribution of Prizes for Hills Trekking Competition

Why do People Climb Baukhungri hills?

Despite many hills in Bodoland, why do people from all parts of BTR and neighbouring places climb to the peak of the Baokhungri during the Baokhungri festival? What do they do at the hilltop? What’s the history behind it?

According to the Bodo legends, Baokhungri hill is the sacred dwelling of Sibrai (Lord Shiva) and other deities. At the hilltop of Baukhungri, people feel the divine touch of Sibrai. The traditional Bodo folklore depicts that Princess Diplai (or Deeplai), the daughter of King Daokha, sacrificed her life (committed suicide) in Baokhungri peak after hearing/receiving the sad news of the demise of her beloved prince of the neighbouring kingdom. In Bodo, Bao means “to offer” or “propitiate,” and Khungri means “Princess,” who offered herself to God in the name of her beloved.

There is also a belief that if someone climbs the hilltop thrice consecutively every year on the day of Sankranti, they will be blessed with success in love and marital bliss.

The hill provides some stunning views. Besides that, the hill is covered with magnificent Sal trees and other semi-evergreen trees. Also, the hill is flanked by the beautiful part of Deeplain Beel and Part of Dheer Beet.

Baokhungri Cycling Competition 2023

The Games & Sports Sub-Committee under the Sports & Youth Welfare Department will organize Cycling Competition under the name MTB 2.0 on 12th April 2023 for those above 18 years of age for Men and Women.

The Baokhingri Mountain Bike Racing (MTB) will start on the 1st day of the festival – 12 April 2023, at 7.30 AM. Bike racing was the first time included in the last year’s Baokhungri festival, and this is the second time, so MTB 2.0 second version.

The participants are requested to download the registration form shared below from the following link provided. Those interested competitors willing to participate can participate by filling out the form details. The registration form must be submitted by 10 April 2023 at KDSA Kokrajhar.

A total of 8 MTB participants will be awarded cash and a certificate. Below are the prize details of the same.

1. 1st Prize = Rs. 25000 with Certificate
2. 2nd Prize = Rs. 15000 with Certificate
3. 3rd Prize = Rs. 10000 with Certificate
4. 4th Prize = Rs. 5000 with Certificate
5. 5th Prize = Rs. 5000 with Certificate
6. 6th Prize = Rs. 5000 with Certificate
7. 7th Prize = Rs. 5000 with Certificate
8. 8th Prize = Rs. 5000 with Certificate

Baokhungri Festival Events / Activities

The events or activities typically include trekking the Baukungri Hill, an ethnic food festival, a cultural show, and adventurous (trekking), marathon races, indigenous sports, and other events during these three days.

1. Cultural Showcase
   1. The cultural extravaganza.
      
2. Ethnic Food Festival
   1. You will be surprised to see more than 100 food stalls.
   2. Mouth-watering ethnic cuisines of Bodo, Garo, Dimasa, Rabha, Adivasi, Karbi, Missing communities and even Bhutan are available.
   3. The visitors especially loved local cooked items and rice beer.
      
3. Indigenous Sports
   1. The Bodoland Indigenous Games Association (BIGA) takes care of the different indigenous sports.
   2. The traditional game competitions that are organized are Khomlainai, Gila, Batha, Daobo Aithing, Dongfang Bukunai, live rooster fight etc.
      
4. Adventurous Sports
   1. Paragliding is one of the centre of attraction.
      
5. Trekking Competition at Baokhungri Hill
   
6. Marathon Race

Here’s the games and sports scheduled for the 10th Baukhungri Festival 2023

Date	Time	Activities
12 April 2023	6 AM	Flag off for Marathon Race
	8:30 AM	Flag Hoisting of Indigenous Game along with Homage to Ayung late Chanakya Brahma and Inauguration of Games
	9 AM	Play on Komlainai Competition
	1 PM	Flag off for Cycling Competition
	1:30 PM	Continuation of Indigenous Games
	4 PM	End of Game

Date	Time	Activities
13 April 2023	8 AM	Flag off for Hill Trekking Competition
	9 AM	Continuation of Indigenous Game (Komlainai, Daobo Aithing, Dongfang Bukunai)
	12:30 PM	Result of Hills Trekking
	3:30 PM	Final Match of all Indigenous Games
	4 PM	End of Game

Date	Time	Activities
14 April 2023	12:30 PM	Distribution of Prizes

Photos

Komlainai Photos

Daola Soulainai Photos

Rooster Fighting Photos

Marathan Races Photos

Gila Game

Paragliding

Dongfang Bukunai

Baokhungri Festival Competiton Prizes

Where there is a competition, there will be a prize. The Baukhungri festival organizing committee organizes many competitions, and many cash prizes are awarded to the winners. Here are the prize amounts:

It is the old prize money, and these could get changed in the coming festival.

Cash Prize Awards Info

1. Hill Trekking Competition Prize Info
   1. Winners of both categories (male & female) = 1 Lakh cash each
   2. Second (2nd) Prize = Rs. 50,000 cash
   3. Third (3rd) Prize = Rs. 25,000 cash
   4. Fourth (4th) to Tenth (10th) winners Consolation prize = Rs. 5,000 cash each
      
2. Gila Competiton Prize Info
   1. First (1st) Prize = Rs. 20,000 cash
   2. Second (2nd) Prize = Rs. 10,000 cash
   3. Third (3rd) Prize = Rs. 5,000 cash
      
3. Khomlainai Competition Prize Info
   Khomlainai is conducted in five categories.
   1. Each Champion = Rs. 10,000 cash
   2. Second Rank holder = Rs. 5,000 cash
   3. Third Rank holder = Rs. 3,000 cash
      
4. Live RoosterFight Competition Prize Info
   1. First (1st) Prize = Rs. 20,000 cash
   2. Second (2nd) Prize = Rs. 10,000 cash
      

What Changed in Baukhungri Festival?

Earlier, only Bodo people celebrated the Baukhungri festival in traditional ways. But now, after the involvement of the Tourism Department of the BTC government, things have changed.

Now a lot of people (in lakhs), young and old, men and women, irrespective of caste, creed, and religion, visit the festival venue to scale the peak of the Baukhungri hill, participate in different activities, and enjoy the cultural extravaganza in a festivity mood to welcome the Bwisagu festival.

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