Guwahati: As the gentle winds of spring sweep across Assam, the air is thick with joy and cultural pride as the Assamese community across the globe celebrates Rongali Bihu, marking the advent of the Assamese New Year. The festival, also known as Bohag Bihu, is not just a seasonal celebration, but a vibrant expression of Assam’s agrarian roots, spiritual traditions, and artistic heritage.
This year, the Bihu spirit has transcended borders, with energetic celebrations seen not only across Assam but also in metropolitan cities such as Delhi and Gurugram, Bengaluru and in foreign countries like USA, UK where Assamese diaspora groups have organised cultural evenings, Bihu dance performances, and traditional feasts to mark the occasion.
Goru Bihu: Honouring Livestock, Preserving Tradition
The festivities kicked off with Goru Bihu, the first day of Bohag Bihu, which pays homage to cattle – the backbone of the rural economy. In districts like Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Jorhat, and Lakhimpur, farmers observed age-old rituals by bathing their cows in water mixed with black gram paste and turmeric. From Dhubri to Sadiya people across Assam and in particularly in the rural areas, cows were taken to the nearby rivers and ponds to give a holy bath with aromatic hand made paste for their healthy year ahead.
Markets abuzz in Guwahati
In Guwahati, particularly at Khanapara market, the Bihu buzz is unmistakable. Stalls are brimming with festive essentials such as dai (curd), chira (flattened rice), pitha (traditional rice cakes), gur (jaggery), and the iconic gamocha, a handwoven cloth symbolic of Assamese hospitality and identity. The city’s marketplaces are abuzz with last-minute shoppers preparing for the days of celebration ahead.
“Bihu is a festival that brings people together. From the markets to the mandaps, everyone is in a cheerful mood,” said Jyoti Kalita, a local vendor at Khanapara.
The heart of Bohag Bihu: Rituals and revelry
Bohag Bihu, falling on April 14 this year, coincides with Mesha Sankranti and marks the start of the new agricultural cycle. According to traditional beliefs, it is also the day Lord Vishnu visited Earth in the guise of a humble farmer, blessing the land and its people.
The festival unfolds in three meaningful phases
Rongali Bihu involves preparing homes, buying agricultural tools, and creating decorative alpana patterns with rice paste.
Goru Bihu, already observed on the first day, is centered around livestock care and purification rituals.
Manuh Bihu, the most joyous phase, is dedicated to people. Families dress in traditional attire, exchange greetings, enjoy grand feasts, and participate in Husori—a folk ritual where groups of young people visit homes to sing Bihu songs and seek blessings from elders.
More than a festival: A cultural lifeline
Bohag Bihu is more than a festive calendar event—it is an emotional thread that ties every Assamese heart to its roots, whether in a remote village in Dhemaji or in a high-rise apartment in Gurugram. With melodious Bihu geet (songs), rhythmic dhol beats, and graceful dance performances, the festival becomes a living archive of Assamese folklore, artistry, and communal harmony.
As Assam enters the new year with laughter, music, and sacred traditions, the spirit of Rongali Bihu continues to reaffirm the cultural unity and resilience of its people. From the green paddy fields to digital stages abroad, the echoes of “Bihu Naam” resound with a singular message: a celebration of life, land, and legacy.
