Magh Bihu
magh bihu also called bhogali bihu eating bhog ie enjoyment maghar domahi harvest festival celebrated assam northeast india mark end harvesting season month magh january–february bonfire meji lit ceremonial conclusion prayer god fire festival developed tibetoburman culture festival magan kachari festival marked feast bonfire young people erect makeshift hut known meji bhelaghar bamboo leaf thatch bhelaghar eat food prepared feast burn hut next morning celebration also feature traditional assamese game ‘’tekeli bhonga’’ potbreaking buffalo fighting magh bihu celebration start last day previous month month pooh usually th pooh january day magh bihu modern time earlier festival would last whole month magh name magh bihu night uruka th pooh people gather around bonfire cook dinner make merry magh bihu people assam make rice cake various name sunga pitha til pitha etc sweet coconut called laru first day magh bihu known uruka bihu eve word uruka originally derived deorichutia word urukuwa mean end signifying end harvesting season well pausha month day woman folk get ready next day food item like chira pitha laru curd feast organised night known bhuj derived sanskrit word bhojana various indigenous community prepare rice beer usually distilled known chuji chutias namlao taiahom zou bodos aapong mising uruka feasting may family affair communal feasting uruka hutlike structure called bhelaghar also built field people stay night often village youth pas night bhelaghars warming fire making use vegetable steal backyard villager considered tradition day bihu start early dawn postharvesting ceremony called meji bonfire burned field people pray ancestral god blessing word meji originally derived deorichutia word midiyeji midi denotes ancestral god ye mean firemeij also meant fire protosinotibetan མེ tibetan မီး burmese ji mean fly away signifying worship ancestral spirit fly away fire bonfire usually made fireword green bamboo hay dried banana leaf people take bath setting bonfire tradition ritual meji jwaluwa firing meji enjoyable worshipping bhoral meji done offering chicken rice cake rice beer chira pitha akhoi horoom curd eatable end bhelaghar also burned people consume special preparation known mahkarai roasted mixture rice black gram breakfast lunch people consume various traditional dish like various fish duck chicken mutton curry along rice ‘tenga’ ‘aloo pitika’ ‘doi sira’ ash bonfire meji bhelaghar used tree crop increase fertility garden field along main meji sangken many related festival seen assam arunachal kacharis part indigenous assamese community similar custom seventh day magh bihu clean utensil sacrifice fowl bathou god go carol singing collecting food set bhelaghars burn morning full moon day magh month khamti people observe similar bonfire tradition related buddha given fact tai group follows ritual concluded would better khamti merely adopted ritual local th century later developed buddhist rite similar kechaikhati worship organised day bohag bihu kati bihu