In India, celebrations take place every single day. There is a lot of happiness and positivism in the air throughout all of these festivals. However, harvest festivals are the most widely observed holidays here. And the Bihu festival is one of those lovely harvest festivals that observed in India. It is Assam’s most famous cultural celebration that marks the change of the seasons.
Assam is a lush region nourished by the powerful Brahmaputra River and encircled by the Blue Mountains. The people who live here work in agriculture, and the culture as a whole is agrarian. They celebrate their national celebration, ‘Bihu’, during the harvest season and pray to God for a successful harvest. Essentially, this is a celebration of the varying seasons. Each of the three Bihu festivals signifies a significant time in Assamese agriculture.
Origin of Bihu Festival
Bihu is a Sanskrit word, which means “to pray for blessings and prosperity”. The origins of the celebration can be traced to 3500 BC when people offered fire sacrifices to increase their harvest.
Actually, the phrase “Bishu,” which denotes a request for prosperity from the gods at significant points in the harvest season, was the source of the name “Bihu.” The celebration eventually became known as Bihu after the term was twisted in some way. The festival’s name is said to have originated from two distinct words, “bi” (which means to ask) and “hu” (which means to offer), according to another account.
The word “Bihu” is also used to refer to the Bihu folk songs, or Bihu Geet, and the Bihu dance, also known as Bihu Naas. The celebrations are distinctively Assamese, with components given by all Assamese communities. They showcase an amalgamation of Tibeto-Barman, Austroasiatic, and Indo-Aryan customs that are so deeply linked that it is impossible to separate them.
The Ahom king Rudra Singha (1696–1714) invited Bihu performers on the occasion of Rongali Bihu in 1694s when Assamese history records the first-ever Bihu dance performance. The dancers wear the traditional mekhela chador while performing.
The Assamese farming community has always been closely associated with the Bihu celebration. The event is observed in three parts, each corresponding to a specific paddy production stage in an agricultural year.
What Does Bihu Represent?
The Assamese people stand out in the history of the country and are given a distinct identity by the Bihu festival. In addition to being Assamese main, Bihu is a harvest celebration. It is observed three times at significant points in the agricultural calendar.
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Types of Bihu Festival and Reason to Celebrate:
There are three varieties of Bihu, a significant cultural celebration exclusive to the Indian state of Assam.
1- Bhogali Bihu:
Celebrated in mid-January, this celebration, also known as Magh Bihu, signifies the conclusion of the harvesting season. The event honors Agnidev, the lord of fire, and the word “Bhog” signifies eating.
People express their thanks for a bountiful crop and offer prayers to Lord Agni Devta. There are communal feasts during the harvest celebration known as the Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu.
With Magh Bihu, the harvest season comes to an end. Since the granaries are full and farmers are relieved of their crop-related worries, the main focus of Magh Bihu is feasting and celebration. Every Assamese family, no matter where in the world they live, celebrates Magh Bihu with great excitement and a ton of food and entertainment.
2- Rongali Bihu:
Of the three, the Rongali Bihu, which honors the spring celebration, is the most significant. This celebration, which also goes by the name Bohag Bihu, is observed in the middle, of April to usher in the spring.
The celebration of Rongali Bihu lasts for seven days. Farmers prepare the field for cultivation on this day, which commemorates the arrival of spring. All around Assam, there’s a prevailing feeling of eating and celebration.
The Assamese New Year falls on the same day as Rongali Bihu, which also falls on other Indian subcontinental regions that observe the Buddhist and Hindu calendars in East and Southeast Asia. This event, which is held in mid-April to usher in spring, is also known as Bohag Bihu.
3- Kati Bihu:
This less celebratory event, also known as Kongali Bihu, is held in the middle of October. Plant and crop worship and crop protection are linked to Kati Bihu. The gloomy, frugal Kongali Bihu, is an animistic celebration that symbolizes a season of limited resources.
The main reason why people celebrate this Bihu is to ask the Gods for their blessings so that nothing bad happens to the crops while they prepare for harvest.
Every Bihu falls on a unique day in the agricultural calendar. The Bohag Bihu heralds the beginning of the seeding season, the Kati Bihu the end of the paddies’ sowing and transplanting, and the Magh Bihu the conclusion of the harvesting season.
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Some Ways of Celebrating Bihu Festival:
During Bhogali Bihu/Magh Bihu:
The First and most fascinating aspect of the event is Bhogali Bihu, also known as Magh Bihu, which is a must-try for any cuisine enthusiast visiting Assam. It is ideal to visit this festival in the middle of January. Since this time of year usually signifies the conclusion of the harvest season, all the traditional Assamese delicacies are cooked during this period. Pithas are tossed into bonfires that are built.
Their traditional dress, an off-white mung silk saree with a red border for the ladies and dhoti and games for the men made of the same material, is worn by the members of their traditional dancing group, known as Bihu. During the holiday season, traditional clothing also has a special meaning.
At Rongali Bihu/Bohag Bihu:
Young boys and girls dress in bright, colorful dhotis, gamosas, and saadar mekhelas to celebrate Bohag Bihu, they also performs dances and songs that highlight the significance of the festival. During the celebration, Bihu fairs are held in various locations where Assamese residents congregate to play games and eat delicious Assamese food.
During Kati Bihu/Kongali Bihu:
October is the ideal month for visitors to Assam if they truly want to witness the harvest and how it is protected. Kati Bihu (Kongali Bihu) is observed this month, signifying that the paddy in the fields is still growing. Assamese people rejoice on this occasion to pray for the paddy’s preservation while it is still developing.
On this day, the elderly members of the family light the earthen lamps, also called saki, in the vicinity of the holy Tulsi plant, which is customarily planted both in the paddy fields and at the entrance to the home.
The cattle are given a traditional rice meal called pitha as a thank you for their productivity on the farm since they are an essential component of the harvesting process. The main idea is to ask the goddess Lakshmi for increased wealth and prosperity.
Conclusion:
Traditional dances and songs, as well as traditional garb, are features of all three Bihu celebrations. In addition, Bihu is a time for people to gather together and celebrate with friends and family.
Bihu has grown in importance as a cultural destination in recent years, drawing visitors from all over the world who come to take in Assamese culture’s bright and lively traditions.
They decorate their houses and fields with lights for this significant celebration. They plan feasts and execute traditional dances all around the state.
The Bihu festival is a distinctive cultural event that showcases the Assamese people’s rich legacy and customs. It honors the Assamese people’s passion for the outdoors, music, dance, and cuisine. No matter a person’s caste, religion, or origin, the event unites people and is celebrated with great passion and delight.