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Ignoring the chilly weather conditions Assam is gearing up to celebrate Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu with festive spirit.
Markets are crowded with people buying fish, and various dishes including pitha (rice cake), different types of laru made from coconut, jaggery, sesame seeds, rice flour, puffed rice, etc., fresh cream, thick creamy curd, and golden honey. A resident said, "Today is a special day for Assamese people. In Assam, Bihu is celebrated with fanfare. We are buying our favourite fish." People have thronged to the markets in Guwahati to buy delicious foods and have made all preparations to celebrate the biggest festival of the state. Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival celebrated in Assam which marks the end of harvesting season in the local month of Magh during mid-January and the people of the state have celebrated the festival with community feasts after the annual harvest. The night before Magh Bihu is known as Uruka or the Bihu Eve and the people of the state are gearing up to celebrate Uruka on Monday. Festivities have started today onwards and Magh Bihu will be celebrated on Tuesday. Magh Bihu, the harvest festival, marks the end of the harvesting season. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm across Assam and symbolizes gratitude to the God of Fire through a ceremonial bonfire, known as Meji. The festival has its roots in Tibeto-Burman cultural traditions and is a time of community bonding, feasting, and rituals. Diponjittai, a resident of Jorhat said to ANI "Magh Bihu is a very old festival of Assam. We celebrate Magh Bihu in the second week of January every year. During this festival, all our family members and friends come together to enjoy and celebrate." In Majuli, the world's largest inhabited river island, and nearby Jorhat district, preparations are in full swing. Women are busy making traditional treats like Til Pitha, Ghila Pitha, and various jalpans (assorted rice-based snacks). Meanwhile, the youth and adults construct Bhela Ghar--temporary structures made of bamboo and straw--where they gather to feast and spend the night in revelry. (ANI)
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