Assam celebrates Magh Bihu, people throng fish markets on Uruka

Uruka marks the end of the Pooh (Pausa) month according to the Hindu calendar and the harvest season ends

Today is Uruka. It marks the beginning of Magh or Bhogali Bihu, one of the three important Bihus of the state–Rongali or Bohag Bihu, Magh or Bhagali Bihu and Kati or Kangali Bihu.

Bhogali Bihu is celebrated by having community feasts, during which a wide range of exquisite dishes—including doi-sira (curd and flattened rice), pitha-laru (authentic Assamese sweet) and cream are prepared.

People across the state will be celebrating Uruka today. Hectic preparations can be seen right from dawn. Uruka night is all about community feasts, feasting by the bonfire and merry making.

On the Uruka morning, all fish markets across Assam are packed with fish lovers. People flocked fish markets, beating the morning chill to buy the best quality fish. Fish is an integral part of the menu tonight. People were also seen community fishing.

What is Uruka?

Uruka marks the end of the Pooh (Pausa) month according to the Hindu calendar and the harvest season ends. The granneries are full and feasting begins. Uruka is all about have dinner and feasts with your family and friends. They sit by the bonfire and enjoy traditional Assamese cuisine in the true spirit of the festival.

Magh Bihu is mostly about eating together and enjoying together. Fish is an integral part of the dinners and the feasts and people throng fish markets and river banks from very early in the morning to get the best catch. People also go for community fishing.

Prices of fish soar during this time. Other then fish, duck dishes, meat, chicken, boiled and fired eggs, leafy greens, variety of potatoes, particularly kath aloo are must haves as part of the feasts during Magh Bihu. In fact, the feasting does not stop on Uruka night or the night after. The feasting continues for the Assamese people for almost 15 days to the entire month.

Three important Bihus of Assam:

*Rongali or Bohag Bihu: Bohag Bihu marks the Assamese New Year and the harvest festival of Assam. This Bihu lasts for seven days and are known as Chot Bihu, Goru Bihu, Manuh Bihu, Kutum Bihu, Senehi Bihu, Mela Bihu and Chera Bihu.

What is Magh Bihu? How is it celebrated?
Magh means the Magh month according to the Hindu calendar, and Bhogali meaning bhog, abundance or enjoyment, feasting. Magh Bihu which is a harvest festival, is celebrated from January 13 and the feasting goes on at least for a week. With the granaries full, every Assamese household makes a variety of pitha (sweet delectable made of rice flour with a filling either of grated coconut and jaggery or sugar called the narikol (coconut) pitha or a filling of black sesame (til) and jaggery or sugar called the til pitha).
Building meji and bhela ghars are part of the Magh Bihu celebrations. A bonfire is lit on Uruka night and people gather around it singing Bihu songs and dancing Bihu. The feast also happens around the bonfire. The next morning, mejis, cone-shaped structures made of hay, bamboos and other dry things are lit early in the morning after taking bath. People offer prayers while burning the meji and maah korai, a crackling mixture of dry roasted peanuts, rice, green gram, black sesame flavoured with mustard oil and salt is enjoyed as the meji burns. The warmth of the burning meji amid the January morning chill adds to the overall excitement and enjoyment.
Bhela ghars are made in the open fields. These are make-shift thatch houses where youngsters spend the night and have fun.
During Bhogali (Magh) Bihu there are a lot of delicacies which are made like – ghila pitha, tilor laru (black sesame seed sweet balls or laddoos), narikolor laru (grated coconut sweet balls or laddoos), gakhir (milk) pitha, tel (oil) pitha, chunga (hollow bamboo) pitha, tekeli or tekli mukhot diya pitha made by steaming a mixture of grated coconut and rice flour with sugar in the lid of a kettle. The content is wrapped in a muslin cloth and tied to the kettle lid and steamed. Doi (curd) sira (flat rice) with jiggery is a must have during Magh Bihu. Sira or komol saul with curd or cream and jaggery is a hot favourite during Magh Bihu.
In the rural areas, buffalo fights, egg fights, tekeli bhonga (pot breaking) are some of the popular traditional Assamese games played during Magh Bihu. To sum it up – Magh Bihu is about feasting and merrymaking, playing games and having fun.

Kati or Kangali Bihu:

This is the one Bihu in the state that is not seen as a form of celebration but more as an occasion of observance and perseverance.

The festival is marked annually on the first day of the Kati month in the Assamese calendar and usually falls during mid-October. It is also known as Kongali Bihu.

On this Bihu, households all over Assam lights a lamp under a tulsi plant and praying for a bountiful year ahead.

Farmers lights a lamp perched atop a high pole in their fields which is known as Akashi Bonti and pray for a good harvest.

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