Bihu is one of the most important festivals of Assam. It is the harvest festival of Assam which marks the transformation of the season. It is celebrated with lots of fun and enjoyment from the Assamese people.
The festival is of three kinds and is celebrated thrice a year. Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu is celebrated in the month of April, Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu in the month of January, and Kati or Kongali Bihu in the month of October or November.
The festival entertains the celebration of farming, particularly of paddy. Bohag Bihu is to celebrate the beginning of the sowing of the seeds. Kati Bihu is to celebrate the fulfillment of the sowing and transplantation of the saplings. Bhogali Bohu is to celebrate the arrival of the harvest time.
Bihu holds the most important part of the Assamese culture. The folk dance of Assam, Bihu dance is the most important part of the festival. People all around the state dance on the rhythms produced through the instruments like Dhol, Taal, Pepa, Toka, Gogona, Baanhi, and Xutuli.
Generally, the festival continues for seven days. The farmers prepare their fields with great joy and enthusiasm for cultivation.
The special cuisines made during the festival are pithas, larus which are made of rice and coconut, and different types of drinks are prepared by the local tribes like Chuje, Namlao, Aapong, and Jolpan.
These are the ones through which the flavor of the Bihu is experienced. The folk songs played in the festival are known as Bihu geets.
It is a time when people from different communities come together and celebrate their oneness. It is the season of love, and the celebration of the cultural flame of Assam.
