Assam observes Kati Bihu with community prayers across the state

Kati Bihu, the mid‑year harvest festival observed in Assam, was celebrated today with a series of prayers and rituals that underscore the region’s agrarian roots. The festival, which falls in the month of October, marks the transition from sowing to reaping and is traditionally associated with modest offerings to the earth and ancestors.

Across major towns such as Guwahati, Jorhat and Dibrugarh, community groups assembled at local temples and village shrines to chant hymns, light oil lamps and present rice, jaggery and fruits as offerings. Women in traditional mekhela chadors led the prayers, while elders recited folklore that links the festival to the ancient Bihu calendar.

Cultural officials from the Assam State Department of Culture praised the widespread participation, noting that the collective observance helps preserve indigenous customs amid rapid urbanisation. Scholars highlighted that Kati Bihu’s subdued rituals, compared to the exuberant Rongali Bihu, reflect a period of gratitude and hope for a bountiful harvest.

The day concluded with communal feasts where families shared simple meals, reinforcing social bonds that have long been a hallmark of Assamese society.