Assam is a scenic, charming hamlet gracing the Himalayan hills. It has always been a cultural hub spot that dates back to the early man era. This is why the festivals, fairs, and traditional customs of the Assamese people are deeply rooted in its rich heritage that dates to ages ago. These festivals represent the oneness and togetherness that is embedded within the people of Assam. The best way to experience a wholesome holiday on the hills would be to plan your trip to Assam during the time of any festival or fair. The Assamese hills serve as home to numerous different tribes belonging to a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds.
Delicious food, sweet wholesome desserts, fun music, and dance, and a complete feeling of euphoria and excitement is what festivals in Assam are all about.
Check out these lively and wholesome festivals that define the real spirit and enthusiasm of Assam:
List of 7 Most Famous Festivals in Assam
Bihu Festivals
Bihu has to be one of the most significant and important festivals of Assam. Irrespective of caste, gender, ethnicity or beliefs, the Bihu Festival is celebrated by everyone with great harmony in Assam. The entire festival is celebrated in 3 styles: Kati Bihu, Rongali Bihu, and Magh Bihu. This celebration works wonders in bringing the people of Assam together as one entity. The festival is celebrated in April which is bang in time for the harvest season. It is also the time for New Year according to the Hindu calendar making this festival all the more important.
Me-Dum-Me-Phi
The landscape of Assam is filled with inhabitants from a variety of different communities and tribes, one of them being the Ahom community. Me Dum me phi is one of the most important festivals for the people of the said community. The festival literally means ancestral worship. This kind of ritual can be seen across various communities of people throughout India which means taking the blessings of our ancestors and making sure that their soul is at peace. Usually, it is celebrated on the 31st of January and helps develop communal feelings of togetherness.
Ambubachi Festival
Kamakhya Devi Temple is one of the most iconic Devi temples of Guwahati in Assam; Ambubachi is a major festival that takes place in this temple. Celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm, the festival is normally set for the monsoon season every year. It is a very vibrant and unique festival that takes place over a duration of 4 days and involves various rituals like tantric practices along with many other cultures. The first 3 days festival denotes that the Devi Kamakhya goes through her menstrual cycle. It is also this time when devotees follow strict restrictions like no cooking or taking baths. The idol of the goddess is cleaned with milk, water and made to wear new clothes.
Baishagu
The festival is mainly celebrated by the Boro Kacharis community of Assam. Celebrated with incredible pomp and show of culture, this celebration takes place during the mid-month of April. This springtime festival marks the New Year in Assam and among the people of this community. The defining feature of Baishagu is the music. Many locally made instruments come to play during this time of the year and their beautiful tunes can be heard for miles. Some of these instruments include Jotha, Gogona, Kham, Siphung, and more. The final leg of the festival is marked when after the celebration people gather in one place for performing community prayers and hymns dedicated to their god.
Majuli Festival
Majuli festival is famous as the most beautiful, colorful, and vibrant festival of Assam. Pleasing to look at and equally warm to be a part of, the festival takes place on the Majuli Island of Assam which graces the life-giving Brahmaputra River. The island banks see massive celebratory preps and it is attended by throngs of visitors from all over the world. The festivities take place throughout, which means day and night, during the auspicious eve of the festival days. They exhibit their age-old culture through dances, musical performances, and decorative items.
Dehing Patkai Festival
If you are wondering which festival truly captures the beautiful cultural heritage of Assam, then you should be a part of the immaculate Dehing Patkai Festival one time of your year. The festival is always assigned for the month of January in the district of Tinsukia and is also one of those rare festivals that is enthusiastically supported and organized by the government of Assam. This festival attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world for its festive values as well as the various adventure sports it hosts which include angling, parasailing, and paragliding. The festival’s message is that it is not all about fun festivities; it also shares the message of preserving the elephant species in the North East.
Karam Puja
Karam puja which is also referred to as karma puja is one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals of tribal communities residing not just in Assam but in different parts of eastern India as well. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival takes place during the Bhado season which is the 11th day of a full moon and is known as Bhado Ekadashi. The festival normally takes place during the months of mid-august or September and it is a time that Assamese tribal people look forward to. They worship the Karam tree and ask for His blessings as a part of the ritual by performing various dances and singing songs of his praise. This festival is green and ecofriendly in its own way because after the puja, people bring back home a branch of the tree and plant it in their own courtyard followed by delicious food and drinking of a local drink called Hariya.
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