MAGH BIHU FESTIVAL 2017

When :15th January, 2017
Location :Assam

Lavish feasts, celebrations and bonfires festoon the beauty of the great grand harvest festival of Assam. The retreating harvest season in the state is paid a warm homage in the name of Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu Festival, which is one of the most important Assamese festivals for the local residents. Befalling in the Maagha (January- February) month of the Hindu calendar, it mostly corresponds with the celebratory date of Makar Sankranti in other parts of India and its jubilation goes on for at least a week in Assam.

The word ‘Bhogali’ refers to abundance of food. After all the hard work that ends with the harvesting season and advent of Maagha month, there is an ample of granaries to eat in the stock that ultimately pave way for people to jubilate and celebrate in form of Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu festival. Rice cakes and coconut sweets called Laru are prepared on this auspicious occasion to add sweetness in each and everybody’s life.

Magh Bihu Celebration

The merry making of Magh festival (one of the most celebrated harvesting festivals of India) begins a day before the festival date, which is also the very last day of the ‘Pooh’ month. Young villagers come together on this evening to put up huts made up of bamboo, tree leaves, grass and hay called ‘Mejis’. After spending the entire night preparing and eating the feast food (Bhoj) inside the Mejis, people come to burn down these huts the subsequent morning after taking a fresh bath. This ritual is the most important part of the Bihu celebrations that the villagers have been following since ages and will continue to follow for upcoming years also.

The night before the last day of Pooh month is caleld Uruka, when people meet, cook food together and relish the fun of an open bonfire. On the day of festival Bihu, people can be seen filled up to the brim with immense joy and high spirits of the festivity. Sweets and savories are exchanged, Assamese games are organized, crackers are burst, villagers sing Bihu songs on the beats of dhol and happiness is seen on each and every face!

Assamese Magh Bihu festival 2017 will be celebrated on 15th January, 2017.

Places of interest in Assam

1. Kaziranga national park
2. Jorhat
3. Majuli
4. Guwahati
5. Silchar
6. Digboi
7. Dispur
8. Kamakhya temple
9. Haflong lake
10. Umrangshu

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