Bhogali Bihu 2026: A deep dive into how Assam celebrates its grand harvest festival of food and fire

As January 15th arrives, a festive hush will settle over Assam. Smoke rises from blazing Meji fires, and the aroma of freshly made pithas drifts through the air. Also known as Bhogali Bihu, this is the festival of feasting. It marks the end of the harvest season, a time when granaries are full, and the hard-working agricultural folk of the state finally sit down to reap the benefits of their labour.Bhogali Bihu 2026Bhogali Bihu in the cityWhile Magh Bihu is rooted in the soil, city dwellers in Guwahati have their own modern traditions. From the first week of the New Year, streets and bazaars like the bustling Ganeshguri come alive with temporary kiosks. City folk are spoilt for choice as they hunt for feast essentials like crunchy seera (flattened rice), akhoi (puffed rice), and bora saul (sticky rice), hand-rolled til laru (sesame balls), narikol laru (coconut sweets), and the iconic til pitha.