Magh Bihu
15 Jan, 2025
Wednesday
Magh Bihu on 15-01-2025
About Magh Bihu 2025
Most Important Festival in North-East India
Magh Bihu is one of the best festivals of Assam. It is one of the 3 Bihus celebrated on a large scale by the people of Assam.
Magh Bihu is the Harvest Festival
It is a harvest festival celebrated all over India during the time of Makar Sankranti(मकर संक्रांति ) and is known by different names in different parts of India. Like Lohri in Punjab, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Ugadi in Karnataka, Uttarayan in Gujarat. Each state has its own way of celebrating the festival, but the significance of the festival remains the same to mark the winter solstice and the end of the harvest season and to welcome warmer days in India.
Magh Bihu Known as Bhogali Bihu
In Assam, Magh Bihu is also called Bhogali Bihu. It is an annual festival, like a community festival where family, friends, relatives, neighbours all gather to celebrate, pray, eat and have fun. According to the Bengali calendar, Magh Bihu is celebrated on the first day of the month of Magh, and hence its name as Magh Bihu. Magh Bihu is celebrated for 2 days.
Day 1: Uruka (उरूका)
The first day is called “Uruka” and it is a night of feasting for everyone in Assam. On Uruka Day, various Assamese dishes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, will be prepared in every household in Assam, including pithas(rice cakes) and laddu. An age-old tradition celebrated on the day of Uruka festival is to go fishing or buy fresh fish from river ghats. Fresh fish is used in the preparation of various dishes for the Uruka feast. Preparations begin early in the morning to prepare elaborate snacks and namkeens to be served as dinner. Bon fires are lit at night and people enjoy themselves with dance, music and food. They have a grand feast with friends and relatives and everyone is welcomed with open hearts.
Day 2: Magh Bihu(माघ बिहू)
The second day is the day of Makar Sankranti and this is the actual Magh Bihu. A unique feature highlighting this festival is the construction and burning of Bhelaghar(भेलाघर) or Mejighar, a temporary structure made of bamboo, wood, dry leaves and leftover paddy stumps, which is burnt early in the morning on the day of Sankranti.
