Bihu: An Overview

The triad of Assamese Bihu – Rongali, Kongali and Bhogali outstands as the key festivals of the state. Bihu is more than a festival for every Assamese. It is a sensation carried from heart to heart through generations. It is a melange of sensory experiences. Sound, scenes, smell, taste and warmth come together to generate the emotion of the three Bihu. The delight of these festivities is a birth right of every Assamese.

Thoughts of Bihu interlace with memories of past and hopes of the future. All the three festivals epitomize the season and nature’s cycle through the year. All the three Bihus cast unique experiences. It is thus worth zooming in to the uniqueness of all the three Bihus.

Rongali Bihu

Rongali heralds the colours of newness. As earth wakes up to the freshness and hues of spring, Rongali Bihu lines up in the calendar signifying new beginnings. It marks the beginning of Assamese new year. It is also known as Xaat (seven) Bihu since it is observed through the seven phases of Raati Bihu, Sot Bihu, Goru Bihu, Manuh Bihu, Kutum Bihu, Mela Bihu and Sera Bihu.

Out of the three Bihus, Rongali is the most significant one. It thus presses for a plethora of preparation in every household. The mornings embark with bustling tasks in the kitchen. The sweet aroma of jaggery fused with roasted sesame seeds wafts through the air. The malls and markets buzz with sales and offers to magnetize the crowd of shoppers. Fresh stock of shiny paat silk apparel in many colours flaunts the shop windows. The afternoons coalesce with the rhythm of drum beats for husori (traditional dance groups) practice sessions. The sound of drums resonates through miles. The evenings draw in count down of the days till Goru Bihu, and the planners get inked with things to do.

Something special behind these longwinded preparations for Bihu is the emotion that stirs in every unique individual. The heirloom of Bihu rituals is constant but the flavor and expectations of these festivities vary as per the age and experience of different individuals.

Young kids await their 7-day vacation from school and the dress promised by her. Grocery shoppers forage the grocery market for herbs and vegetables for a traditional recipe of 101 ingredients. Maiden girls dream of sporting the pastel Paat silk Saadors from their mother’s wardrobe. Older couples steadily gather treasures for Bihu in their beautiful retirement homes amid the lush green valleys of Assam. Old grandmas harvest their homegrown turmeric. They wash raw turmeric along with soft black lentils and grind the mixture in a pestle and mortar. With caring hands, they store the paste wrapped in banana leaves and await their children and grandchildren to anoint them with love.

Kongali Bihu

Kongali Bihu derives its name from the month of Kartik which is traditionally known as Kati. Kongali bihu is for the protection of crops. It is observed by somber rituals symbolizing scarcity and hope.
The women in villages go to the paddy fields and light earthen lamps with mustard oil. The lamp is placed respectfully over a banana leaf. Groups of women huddle together and chant prayers for a prosperous harvest in the upcoming harvest season. These had been the animistic traditions of an agrarian society while in the modern world, Kati Bihu traditions are more subtle and symbolic. In an urban courtyard, far off from paddy fields, the women of the household would light a diya beneath the Tulsi plant. The diya lighting is followed by prayers and some humble offerings of pitha. Thus the rituals and observations last only through the evening.

Bhogali Bihu

Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu marks the end of the harvest season with the beginning of the Indian month Magh. It is observed through feasts and festivities. It starts on the last day of the previous month Poush and follows through feasts and rituals on the days of the Magh month.
With the approach of this festival, people create make-shift houses called bhelaghar, usually with locally available materials like hay and bamboo. On the day of Bihu Uruka (Bihu eve) there would be huge feasts to celebrate the harvest. On the following day, people wake up early and go to the Meji. The Meji is a tall bonfire stacked with loads of firewood or hay. It is an essential ritual to worship Agni of the God of Fire. Fire symbolizes warmth and stepping into the month of Magh heralds the earth’s cycle into the warmer days. People unite and gather around Meji and make offerings to the Fire God. They then relish the traditional breakfast of puffed rice, yogurt, sesame seeds, and jaggery. In Assam, the celebrations last through a few more days as people invite friends and families for dinner. They also go out for picnics by the beautiful riversides of the state. The festive vibe lingers on for at least a week post the two days of main rituals. Once the merriment of Magh fades slowly time rolls on and soon coincides with the reminders of Bohag or Rongali lining up in the calendar.

Thus, the three Bihu across the calendar keep ushering in feelings of seasons and warm the heart across the year. The festival and the rituals stir us to coalesce ourselves with nature.