Kati Bihu 2023: Date, History, Facts about Kati Bihu Festival

Kati Bihu is observed on the first day of the ‘Kati’ month according to the Assamese calendar, which typically falls in the middle of October. This year’s celebration occurs on October 18. This festival celebrates the relocation of the rice cultivation and the start of the new harvest season. Kati Bihu is a day of service, repentance, and faith for a better tomorrow. The festival is observed throughout the entire state of Assam, though each Assamese tribe has its own rituals and interpretations of the day. Outside the homes, lamps are illuminated, and a bamboo path is constructed as a trail for the ancestors.

The background of Kati Bihu

Kati Bihu, also known as Kongali Bihu, is a peculiar festival celebrated in the Indian state of Assam in the North-Eastern region. It is typically observed in the middle of October with a solemn tone. Due to the festival’s focus on the month’s restrictive conditions, there is less revelry among the observing populace. Despite being one of the largest celebrations in the country, the holiday is not celebratory. Instead, the festival commemorates the past year. Assam’s harvesting season begins in the month of October. The newly sprouting paddy fields and barren granaries represent the ‘Kangal’, which translates to ‘broke.’

Kati Bihu is one of the three most important Assamese festivals, along with Bhogali Bihu and Rongali Bihu. People light clay lamps outside their residences, and the holy basil plant is adorned with garlands and lights. The tradition of igniting the lamps dates back to ancient festivals, when the lanterns on the paddy field served as a natural insecticide by attracting insects. On the tops of baboon sticks, traditional lamps, called’saaki,’ are set to guide the ancestral home.

The entirety of the state celebrates Kati Bihu with tremendous sincerity. It is one of the few festivals in India that transcends religion, social status, and caste, as individuals from all aspects of life gather to observe the solemnity of their circumstances.

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Five Stunning Customs and Rituals of the KATI BIHU Festival

On a sad day, the northern Assamese prefer duck flesh, while those in the southern cities prefer pigeon.

Throughout the day, Assamese families entertain a number of visitors, and each of them is presented with a ‘gamosa’ — a locally sourced, hand-woven towel.

Kati Bihu is one of the three Bihu festivals that are celebrated in Assam, along with Rongali Bihu and Bhogali Bihu.

The significance of the sacrosanct Tulsi plant is illuminated by lighting earthen lamps, or’saaki,’ around it.

Even though it is not a celebration, the day ends with the traditional Assamese Bihu dance as a sign of community unity.

KATI BIHU DATES