Representational image.
Magh Bihu, also called Bhogali Bihu, is observed by the people of Assam. This festival is celebrated to mark the end of the harvest season. It is considered as the time for thanking the ancestors and the god of agriculture for a bountiful harvest and good life. The celebration of Magh Bihu typically takes place in January. This auspicious festival is going to be marked on 15 January this year according to the traditional calendar of Assam. The date of Magh Bihu varies from year to year on the basis of the lunar calendar. It is believed that Bihu has originated from the word “bishu” which means “to seek for peace”.
How is Magh Bihu celebrated?
During Magh Bihu, the people of Assam feast on the new harvest with their family and friends. They also take part in traditional activities, build temporary huts, and prepare traditional Assamese food and sweets. The temporary huts are burned to symbolise the end of the old and the beginning of the new. The festivity has both agricultural and social significance. It is the time for renewing friendship and brotherhood, and for young men and women to come together.
Magh Bihu is celebrated for two days, the first day of this festival is called Uruka or Bihu eve. Young people, mostly men, go to the fields and build improvised huts or Bhelaghar on this day. Bamboo, thatch, and leaves are utilized for constructing these homes. Meji or campfire is another crucial part of Magh Bihu.
A bonfire is lit early in the early morning of Bihu and the gods are worshipped. People cook meals and spend the night by singing and dancing around Meji. The commemoration of main Magh Bihu takes place the next day. Everyone takes a bath in the morning and the Meji is burned on this day.
Origin
The origin of Magh Bihu dates back to 3500 BC according to some scholars. During that time, people used to offer fire sacrifices for improving their harvest. It is thought that the festival originated from the Dimasa Kacharis. Dimasa Kacharis was an agrarian tribe who lived in the north-eastern region thousands of years ago.
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