Bihu Festival: Rongali, Kati and Magh Bihu Explained (2027 Dates and Where to See It)

Bihu is the festival of Assam, celebrated by every community in the state three times a year, at key points in the rice-growing cycle. Rongali (Bohag) Bihu in April marks the Assamese new year and is the one most visitors want to see; Magh (Bhogali) Bihu in January is the harvest feast; Kati (Kongali) Bihu in October is the quiet one.

Bihu dates for 2027

Bihu follows the Assamese solar calendar, so the dates barely move from year to year. The exact start of Rongali Bihu is the first day of the month of Bohag, usually 14 or 15 April.

Rongali Bihu: the Assamese new year

Rongali means joy. The first day, Goru Bihu, is for the cattle: they are washed in rivers and ponds and fed with gourd and brinjal. The next day, Manuh Bihu, is for people: new clothes, visits to elders and the gift of a gamosa, the red-and-white woven cloth that is Assam's symbol. Through the following days young people sing Bihu songs and dance in fields and courtyards, and every town sets up a Bihu stage (Bihutoli) with performances and competitions that run well into May.

The Bihu dance and music

Bihu dance is fast and joyful, with women in muga silk mekhela sador moving their hips and hands in quick steps, and men playing the instruments. Listen for the dhol (drum), the pepa (a pipe made of buffalo horn), the gogona (a bamboo mouth instrument), the taal (cymbals) and the toka (split bamboo clapper). In April 2023 more than 11,000 dancers and drummers performed together in Guwahati, setting a Guinness World Record.

Magh Bihu: the harvest feast

With the granaries full, Magh Bihu is about food. On Uruka, the night before, friends build temporary huts (bhelaghar) in the fields and cook a community feast. At dawn the meji, a tall bonfire of wood and hay, is lit and prayers offered. Expect pitha (rice cakes), laru (sweet balls of coconut or sesame), and jolpan, a breakfast of flattened or puffed rice with curd and jaggery.

Kati Bihu

When the rice is still growing and granaries are low, Kati Bihu is a time for prayer rather than feasting. Families light earthen lamps under the tulsi plant at home, in the granary and at the edge of the paddy fields to protect the crop.

Where to see Bihu as a visitor

• Guwahati: the easiest base, with large Bihu stages across the city and evening performances by well-known artists.
• Sivasagar and Jorhat: Upper Assam towns with a strong traditional celebration; Rang Ghar in Sivasagar hosts events.
• Majuli and villages: for Bihu as it is celebrated at home, in courtyards and fields. Our Jorhat and Majuli tour can be timed for it.

Planning tips

Mid-April is warm and humid, with the first pre-monsoon storms. Kaziranga National Park is usually still open, so you can combine Bihu with a safari. Many shops and offices close for the first days of Rongali Bihu, so plan transport ahead. See our Assam tour packages, or the full list of festivals of Assam.

Frequently asked questions

When is Bihu in 2027?

Magh Bihu is on 14–15 January 2027, with Uruka on 13 January. Rongali Bihu begins on about 14 April 2027. Kati Bihu falls in mid-October.

Why is Bihu celebrated three times?

Each Bihu marks a stage of the rice crop: sowing and the new year in April, the growing crop in October and the harvest in January.

Which Bihu is best for tourists?

Rongali Bihu in April, for the dance and music. Magh Bihu in January is best if you want to taste the festival food.