Bohag Bihu: A New Year, A New Beginning For The Assamese People

As the dry season gets over and brings green fertile landscape, flowers like Kopou, Togor and more flowers that Signifies the arrival of spring in Assam. Blooming of those flowers marks the arrival of Our New Year. In other words, we called it Bohag Bihu. It is a festival that which we celebrate with pomp and gaiety. We seek blessings from the God.

This festival of merriment is also known as Rongali Bihu. It reflects the emotions of joyfulness and a change in seasonal cycle. Traditional sweets like ‘Pitha’ and ‘Laru’ are prepared using rice flour, Coconut and Jaggery which are first offered to the Gods and later served to the whole family.

Bohag Bihu is celebrated over Seven days in Assam.

First day is The Goru Bihu, Second day is The Manuh Bihu, Third day is The Gukhai Bihu, Fourth day is The Tator Bihu, Fifth day is The Nangol bihu, sixth day is The Senehi Bihu and the last day is The Chera Bihu.

Goru bihu falls on the last day of our Chaith month before Uruka (also known as The Assamese New Year’s Eve). Goru in Assamese means cow and on this day the cows are brought to a water source and thoroughly cleaned with water and turmeric and black gram paste. They are offered with food and prayers to thanks them for helping them in the field.

Manuh Bihu is for us humans(manuh) where we bath using turmeric and black gram paste. Family members pay respect to the elders by offering a ‘Gamusa’. On this day special dishes are made to be eaten by whole family.

On the occasion of the Gukhai Bihu, Prayers are offered and spiritual songs are sung in the Namghar(Community Prayer Hall) to pray respect to the Gods and to seek their blessings for a good yield.

On the Fourth day, it is Tator Bihu related with Weaving.

The Fifth day is the Nangol Bihu, ‘Nangol’ meaning Plough.

The Sixth day is the Senehi Bihu. On this day daughters return to their parents’ home for celebrations, so it is also known as Jiyori Bihu.

The last day is known as Chera Bihu.

In our Monjaai Bihu, we are celebrating it since 2016.

We celebrate it by playing traditional games, eating delicious traditional sweets and dishes made by aunties, there is also a function which includes big singers, Dance performances by young children, Jeng bihu by our Aunties. Monjaai Bihu is our emotion among our families.

Thank you for Reading!!