By Preetam BC
Kokrajhar: The Bodo/Kacharis traditional faith “Gwthar Bathou San” or the “Bathou day” was observed today in different parts of Assam and neighbouring states among the followers of bathou faith.
In Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) headquarter Kokrajhar, the All Bathou Mahasabha, Kokrajhar district 
As per the day long scheduled programme, a mass prayer was held in the morning followed by a colourful cultural peace procession which will be flagged off by vice principal of Debargaon Higher Secondary School Uttara Bwiswmuthiary, where cultural teams of different communities like Bodo, Rabha, Garo, Assamese, Rajbongshis etc participate.
Later an open meeting was held in the afternoon where the chief of Bodoland Territorial Council Hagrama Mohilary attended as chief guest. In his speech, Mohilary said “Bathou is the original religion of the Bodos and the Kacharis. We (Bodo Kacharis) are identified with Bathouism since time immemorial, he said and called upon all to preserve the traditional faith and its values so that the language and cultures of the Bodo Kacharis be preserved.
Chief organizing secretary, All Bathou Mahasabha Dr Liladhar Brahma in his speech as appointed speaker on the Open Session spoke about Bathou, its values and Bodo culture. A Bathou Bisombi(souvenir) was also brought out on the occasion which was inaugurated by Bodo Sahitya Sabha president Taren Boro.
The name Bathou in Bodo means five principles- bar (air), oor (fire), ha (earth), dwi (water) and okhrang (sky). The chief deity, called Bathoubwrai (bwarai: “the Elder”)—omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent—is said to have 
The Gwthar Bathou san is celebrated in the 2nd Tuesday of the Magh Month, by the Bodos/Mech or Kachari people as Bathou san in various parts of Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland etc.
The state government of Assam has since last year declared the day a full-fledged holiday in Assam to mark the day.