In Upper Assam, the arrival of spring ( Rongali Bihu ) is synonymous with romance. The fields become a stage for young people to express affection through music and dance.
In the end, what defines Upper Assam relationships is Dhul —the fine, golden dust of the tea fields and the pollen of the Saru (rice) flowers. It gets into your hair, your lungs, your soul.
Upper Assam, romance narratives, Bihu geet, tea garden, Brahmaputra, ethnic identity, citizenship, eco-affect, Assamese cinema, inter-community marriage, flood, erosion, postcolonial affect.