Hema Malini tweets apology after facing backlash over Bihu greetings

Bollywood actor and Lok Sabha MP on April 14 tendered her apology after she took to Twitter and extended her Bihu greetings to the people of Bihar instead of Assam, which is regarded as the major festival of the state.

Taking to the Twitter handle, Hema Malini wrote, "By mistake, I have put Bihu is a festival celebrated in Bihar. I am sorry! That should read Bihu, festival of Assam."

It is to be mentioned here that, on the day when Assam scripted the history of showcasing Bihu dance on the world's centre stage and register its name in the Gunnies Book of World Records, Bollywood actor and BJP Lok Sabha MP Hema Malini landed in a new controversy for her limited knowledge of the festivals across India.

Also Read: Bollywood 'Dreamgirl' Hema Malini makes blunder, extends Bihu wishes to the people of Bihar

On April 13 she wrote, "It is the Harvest season now. Tamizh Puthandu (New Year), Baisakhi (Punjab), Bihu (Bihar) and Pohela Baisakh or Naba Barsha (Bengal) are some of the festivals celebrated. Wish you all a wonderful festival month."

Meanwhile, Assam has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest Bihu dance performance in a single frame. Over 11,000 folk dancers and drummers gathered at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on April 13 to perform the Bihu dance, aiming to put their performance on Rongali Bihu.

The performers included singers and those playing traditional instruments such as dhol, taal, gogona, toka, pepa, and xutuli, among others. The event was organized by the Assam government, which aimed to "organize the largest Bihu dance performance at a single venue and make it to the Guinness Book of World Records in the folk-dance category," according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The performers were selected from across the state, with at least 70 per cent of the performers being women and 30 per cent being men. Dibrugarh had the most representation, with 1,400 performers in attendance, while South Salmara had the least representation with only 20 performers.

The most crucial part of the process was choreographing a routine that 11,140 dancers from different parts of the state could perform in synchrony. The event took place at the Sarusajai Stadium, and the performers danced for nearly two hours.