On January 16, 2024, Magh Bihu will be celebrated. Magh Bihu, an Assamese harvest festival, marks the end of the harvesting season and occurs on the first day of the Magh month according to the Bengali Panjika.
This Assamese Sankranti celebration lasts a week and is dedicated to Agni, the Lord of Fire, with feasts and bonfires. Unlike the rest of India, where Sankranti is dedicated to Surya, the Sun Lord, Magh Bihu’s ceremonies concentrate around Uruka, held on the last day of the Assamese calendar’s Poush month.
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Magh Bihu, a colorful Assamese celebration, is culturally significant since it symbolizes the end of the harvesting season. It is celebrated in January as a time of thanksgiving for the abundant harvest, uniting communities in joyful celebrations. Various rituals are performed throughout the celebration, including lighting traditional bonfires and exchanging scrumptious handcrafted sweets known as “pitha.” Magh Bihu becomes a time for cultural expression, traditional music, dance, and a community celebration of agricultural abundance as families and friends gather. It represents the conclusion of one agricultural cycle and the start of the Assamese New Year, instilling in the community a spirit of freshness and hope.
Uruka and Meji tradition
Uruka and Meji are essential components of Assamese Magh Bihu celebrations. Uruka is the eve of Magh Bihu, when the family gathers for a large feast. This evening, a community bonfire known as “Meji” is kindled. People gather wood and bamboo to construct the Meji building, which is then set on fire. The bonfire represents the end of the previous year and the beginning of the new one. Traditional delicacies like “laru” and “pitha” are traditionally offered to the fire. The ashes of Meji are thought to have cleansing effects, and some people utilize them as fertilizer for the following planting season. These customs add a sense of togetherness, thankfulness, and regeneration to the Magh Bihu festivities.
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