Bohag Bihu, Assam
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 13th to 19th April 2023 |
| 2024 | To be announced |
Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu is the most popular festival of Assam, the national festival of the state, and one of the major celebrations of the state. Celebrated on the first of the month of Bohag, as per Assamese Calendar, (which falls in mid-April every year), Bohag Bihu is a celebration of the commencement of the harvest season, a celebration of the New Year, a celebration of hope and aspirations for the people of Assam. An annual festival celebrated for a week with great enthusiasm and joy all through out Assam. Assam in the North East part of India is a beautiful state abound with natural greenery, forests, hills and tea gardens with the mighty Brahmaputra River flowing across the state, with the world-renowned national parks and a bevy of historical monuments and temples is one of the popular tourist destinations of India.
Dates
In recent time, people from other parts of India as well as from other countries are making Assam tours, North East tours to explore this part of the country. Visiting any state during the festival time gives an added advantage of exploring the true culture of the state, and this applies for Bihu festival too. Assam’s Rongali Bihu 2023 dates are from 13th April to 19th April 2023. Book you Assam Tour 2023 for an unforgettable and entertaining experience. Bohag Bihu Tour is one of the best festival tours in India and your tour operator can give you the best advice on which places to visit to have an exciting Bihu celebration. Some popular destinations to visit in Assam to enjoy Bohag Bihu Festival are Guwahati, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Nalbari, Nowgong, Sibsagar, Jorhat, and many more. Infact, this festival is celebrated in all places of Assam.
Significance of Bohag Bihu Festival
The significance of the Bohag Bihu festival is basically agricultural in nature. It is to welcome the harvest season and welcome the new year, which people celebrate with lots of gusto and fervour. Bohag Bihu coincides with other harvest festivals of India like as such as Baisakhi, Vishu and Tamil New Year.
Assam celebrates three types of Bihu, which signifies the different phases of the farming cycle like as Kongali/Kati Bihu (October/November) when the paddy field gets ready for sowing and seeds are transplanted, Bhogali/Magh Bihu (January) when the paddy field shows the first signs of grains being grown, and Bohag/Rongali Bohu (April) when the harvesting season starts, when you reap the harvest.
Traditions of Bohag Bihu Celebrations
There are seven days of celebrations of Bohag Bihu.
- Garu Bihu: On this day, people are engaged in going to the river ghats to bath their cattle and they pray for the well being of their livestock.
- Manuh Bihu: The second day is the Assamese New Year. It is customary for people to wear new clothes and seek blessings from the elders of the family by offering the traditional handwoven “Gamosa”. Various types of Assamese delicacies are prepared like as pithas or rice cakes, sweets, kheer, laddus and families have great time enjoying these homemade items and visiting each other’s place.
- Guxai bihu: This is the day for offering prayers to household deities.
- Taator bihu: The day dedicated for the handlooms of Assam.
- Nangolor bihu: The day when the farming equipment is offered prayers.
- Gharosia Jibar bihu: This is meant for the domestic animals.
- Chera bihu: The last day of Rongali Bihu with the celebration concluding with future resolutions.
Celebrations of the Bohag Bihu Festival
The main highlight of the festival is the cultural programs or Bihu functions that are held at different localities. Folk dances, songs, various art forms are performed by local artists. Many popular artists are invited to perform in these functions. The pandal ground has large-sized stage for artists to perform. Bihu dances, Bihu songs performed by the artists enthral the crowd and they also join in to dance and sing.
The cultural celebrations continue till late nights. People go pandal hopping and enjoy these cultural programs. Many stalls are there selling various food items and Assam’s handlooms and handicrafts.
Tourists have great time enjoying the food, fun, festivities, cultural performances with a shopping bonanza. Especially Assamese pat silk, Muga silk sarees and the traditional dress Mekhala Chaddar are highly demanded by tourists from other states.
Another significant part of the celebration which deserves a special mention is the “Husori” (band of young boys and girls in their traditional dress visit each and every household in the towns and villages and sing and dance traditional Bihu songs in the courtyard). They offer their blessings to the household, and in return they get some money and gifts. Husori concept is very popular in rural areas but nowadays in the urban areas of Assam, such Husoris are seen.
Indulge in the festive spirit of Assam by visiting Assam during the Rongali Bihu Festival. ‘Rongali’ is derived from the word ‘rong’ or colour and signifies the happiness and festivities that the festival brings with it. The warmth and simplicity of the people of Assam is clearly seen during the festival time as they greet and welcome each other. The cultural heritage of the state is depicted in Bohag Bihu celebrations. Book your Assam Bohag Bihu tour 2023 with the best inbound tour operator of India.
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