About Bihu
About Bihu
About Bihu
Bihu denotes a set of three different cultural festivals of Assam and celebrated by the Assamese
diaspora around the world. Though they own their origins to ancient rites and practices they have
taken definite urban features and have become popular festivals in urban and commercialized
milieus in the recent decades. Bihu is also used to imply Bihu dance and Bihu folk songs. The
Rongali Bihu or the Bohag Bihu is an important festival of Assam. The most important festivals of
Assam are the Bihus, celebrated with fun in abundance by all Assamese people irrespective of
caste, creed, and belief.
The word Bihu is derived from the language of the Dimasa people. Bi means "to ask" and Shu
means "peace". The wordBishu gradually became Bihu to accommodate linguistic
preferences. BIHU. In Assam, Rongali Bihu draws from many different traditions Austro-Asiatic,
Sino-Burmese and Indo-Aryanand is celebrated with great fervor. Celebrations begin in the middle
of April and generally continue for a month. This is the traditional new year. In addition there are two
other Bihus: Kongali Bihu in October (associated with the September equinox) and Bhogali Bihu in
January (associated with the January solstice). Like most other Indian festivals, Bihu (all three) is
associated with farming; as the traditional Assamese society is predominantly agricultural. In fact,
similar festivals are also celebrated around the same time elsewhere in India. Bihu is also celebrated
overseas by the Assamese community living in different countries around the globe
The three Bihus
In a year there are three Bihu festivals in Assam - in the months of Bohaag (Baisakh, the middle of
April), Maagh (the middle of January), and Kaati (Kartik, the middle of October). The Bihus have
been celebrated in Assam since ancient times. Each Bihu coincides with a distinctive phase in the
farming calendar. The most important and colourful of the three Bihu festival is the Spring festival
"Bohag Bihu" or Rongali Bihu celebrated in the middle of April. This is also the beginning of the
agricultural season. Bihu is celebrated in all parts of Assam and by people belonging to all castes
and religions.