Assam witnessed a new Guinness World Record moment on January 17 as over 10,000 Bodo dancers gathered at Guwahati’s Arjuna Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex to perform the revered Bagurumba dance. Often described as the “butterfly dance” Traditionally performed by Bodo women during Bwisagu, the Bodo New Year festival.
The dance symbolizes harmony and renewal, Passed down for generations. It embodies the community’s values and spirit and a lived tradition that embodies the Bodo’s’ interaction with their immediate natural and spiritual environment.
The dance is historically linked to Bathouism, the indigenous belief system of the Bodo’s, and symbolically reflects the five elements of creation. Once largely confined to village spaces and rarely seen by outsiders. Bagurumba entered the national spotlight when it was performed at the Republic Day celebrations in 1957. Since then, it has travelled from village courtyards to major cultural platforms in India and abroad.
The performers, all women, are seen dressed in red attire, moving in perfect synchrony, creating a scene more captivating and attractive. The sea of red costumes, combined with coordinated movements, has added to the grandeur of the event, making the performance energetic. Bringing performers together from across Assam, including districts outside the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
This world-record initiative has served multiple purposes. Culturally, it has placed Bodo heritage on the national stage. Politically and socially, the Bagurumba Dwhwo has affirmed Assam’s journey from insurgency to peace, from conflict to cultural assertion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shared glimpses of a vibrant Bagurumba dance performance held in Assam’s Guwahati, calling it a ‘spectacular’ display of the culture and tradition of the state. In a post on his social media platform on X, PM Modi wrote, “A spectacular Bagurumba dance performance in Guwahati!”.
Mr. Modi had witnessed similar mass cultural events at the same venue earlier. The mega Bihu event in April 2023, and the Jhumoir Binandini in February 2025.