BETELNUT — BIHU. 63 Class IV. PROVERBS RELATING TO SOCIAL AND MORAL SUBJECTS, RELIGIOUS CUSTOM N AND POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS. 187. Betelnut. >-^^ "^tls^i, ^^^^ «rt^, Sarukai katiba, ghankai khdt^, Sei t^molar bilah cliabd. Cut it small and chew it often, Then you will enjoy the pleasure of bettluut (chewing). 188. Dead Sea Fruit. Bahire rangchang bhitare kowabh^turi. Outside it is beautiful, but inside is kowdbhdturi. The "cTt^^t^ft" (Momordica Monodelpha) is a creeper which hears a heautiful fruit to look at but which contains nothing. The text of the proverh supplied the title of a farcical play- by Brijut Hem Chandra Barua, exposing the foibles of Society in Assam some time ago. 189. JBihu. S^t bihur saya kani. An Qg^ that has survived seven Bihue. There are three Bihus, the Chait, Ksirtik, and Msigh Bihus. They are held on the last days of the months just enumerated. • The Chait Bihu is a very pretty festival, the Assamese women coming out in their best clothes and jewellery, and with sprays of orchid in their hair. They dance and sing under the trees of
