Rongali Bihu Celebrations Begin in Assam: A Festival of New Year and Agricultural Prosperity
Guwahati (Assam) : Rongali Bihu, also known as Bohag Bihu, began in Assam on Tuesday, marking the start of the Assamese New Year and the beginning of the agricultural season. People are joyfully participating in the festivities, dressed in traditional attire. Villages across the state are alive with songs, music, and vibrant Bihu dance performances.
The Bihu festival lasts for seven days. The first day is celebrated as Goru Bihu, during which cattle are bathed and decorated. On the second day, known as Manuh Bihu, people wear new clothes and seek blessings from elders.
Traditional dishes like chira-dahi (flattened rice with curd), pitha (rice cakes), and laru (sweet balls) are prepared during the festival. Women dress in traditional mekhela-chador and men in dhoti-kurta. Bihu dances are performed to the rhythmic beats of the dhol, pepa, and gagana.
The Assamese community living in India and abroad is also celebrating Rongali Bihu with great enthusiasm. Rongali Bihu has become a symbol of Assam’s cultural identity and social harmony.
