Declining of Tuloni Biya: a Case Study

Assam had a tradition of public celebration of puberty, known as tuloni biya. Tuloni biya is ceremonially symbolic to wedding which is celebrated seven days after a girl attains her puberty. In present times, however, one can hardly see any public celebration of puberty. This practice of celebration of tuloni biya has undergone significant changes. Celebration of puberty is becoming a close family affair from a public one.This paper, therefore, attempts to look at the continuities and change in the practice of celebrating tuloni biya among Assamese society. The findings reveal that rituals and restrictions associated with puberty is still in place. It is only the celebration that is dying away. It may, therefore, be argued that puberty and menstruation is now beginning to be seen as a taboo subject in Assamese society, and thereby is kept confidential.