It is Rongali Bihu time and Aniket is excited to spend the day with his family. Just then, his phone rings. His manager speaks from the other side, “Ani, there is an important deal to be signed with a client. Please go there.” Aniket’s dreams of celebrating Bihu with his parents are shattered as he sets out on his assignment.
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Festivals provide a vibrant platform for joy and celebration, offering opportunities to connect with loved ones, explore cultural traditions, and create lasting memories. They are a time to express emotions, enjoy delicious food, and participate in unique activities, all while strengthening social bonds. However, today, we seem to be losing the true spirit of festivals, raising concerns about the impact on society.
Guwahati is a city that embraces diversity, with people from different cultural backgrounds living together for a long time. Festivals have traditionally been an opportunity to celebrate unity among all communities. However, in recent months, festivals in Guwahati have become associated with unfortunate incidents—mostly accidents, some of which were fatal. In a recent case, a speeding car rammed into a bike at the Shraddhanjali flyover in the city’s Zoo Road area. This isn’t the first such incident during a festival. Many times, vehicles end up in deadly collisions. During Holi this year, two bikers crashed into the edge of the Athgaon flyover. Luckily, both riders escaped with minor injuries. In another case, a car collided with a stationary vehicle in the city’s Ganeshguri area.
“It was very unfortunate. I was riding with my brother on Holi night. Just then, a speeding car collided with our bike. Thank God, we miraculously escaped as we were moving slowly. The car driver was completely drunk,” said Mrigank, a resident of Dispur.
“During Magh Bihu this year, a speeding car driven by a drunk man crashed into my car, which was parked on the left side of the road. My car was severely damaged. I filed a police complaint, but the Bhangagarh police let the driver go with just a ₹1,000 fine. What about my car? Who will pay for it?” asked Nabajyoti Bora, a resident of Rajgarh.
“In Assam, driving with a blood alcohol content above 30 mg per 100 ml of blood is illegal. Yet, these laws are often broken during festivals. We urge people not to drink and drive, but they don’t listen. We also have families and wish to celebrate festivals with them. Be it Magh Bihu, Dol Jatra, Bohag Bihu, Durga Puja, Diwali, or New Year, we remain on duty to serve the public. Still, sometimes officers take leave during festivals, and we face challenges. But we are doing our best to ensure such incidents don’t happen in the future,” said a senior police official from Panbazaar Police Station.
“Festivals are meant for rejoicing, not for drinking and driving. We constantly patrol the city during festivals to ensure no one is intoxicated. If anyone is found drunk, we immediately take action. We also urge the public not to overspeed and to drive safely,” said a senior officer from the Panbazaar Traffic DCP office.
“On 14 April 2025, I was driving with my family through the Bhangagarh–Rajgarh route and was shocked to see not a single traffic police officer present,” said Kingshuk, a resident of Geetanagar.
“In earlier times, I used to visit my grandpa’s home with my parents during Bihu. There was pure tradition and no nuisance. Everyone celebrated by eating homemade delicacies like Pitha, Coconut Ladoo, and Doi-Chira. We used to go door-to-door, dancing and playing Husori. Now, nothing of that sort happens. Some people have virtually started associating Bihu with alcoholism. It’s not just Bihu—it’s the same with other festivals too,” said Manuhar Pegu, a social worker from Guwahati.
Now, the question remains—why have festivals in Guwahati turned into occasions marked by accidents? Are we truly celebrating festivals, or simply using them as excuses for harmful behavior? It’s time to pause and reflect, to choose tradition over trends and meaning over materialistic enjoyment. Only then can we ensure that future generations inherit festivals cherished for their joy, not remembered for tragedy. As responsible citizens, we must ensure our actions don’t cause problems for others in society.
