Magh Bihu Festival 2026: Date, Timings and Significance: Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu or Maghar Domahi, is one of Assam’s most important festivals. Celebrated in the Assamese month of Magh (January–February), it marks the successful completion of the harvest season and the beginning of a new agricultural cycle.
Closely associated with Makar Sankranti, Magh Bihu 2026 will be observed on Thursday, January 15, bringing together communities through food, rituals, and age-old traditions.
Magh Bihu 2026: Date And Timings
In 2026, Magh Bihu will be celebrated on January 15 and the Sankranti Moment on Magh Bihu falls on January 14 at 3:30 PM. The celebrations begin a day before Magh Bihu, known as Uruka, the last day of the Poush month.
Uruka Night And Meji Rituals
On this day, people build temporary huts
called Meji. These huts are made of bamboo, leaves and thatch. Women prepare bhog in the Bhelaghar, which includes special rice sweets like sunga pitha, til pitha, and coconut laddus. Inside the Meji families and villagers dine together, sing, celebrate and enjoy the festive night. The occasion reflects unity, togetherness and cultural pride.
On Magh Bihu morning, the Meji huts are burnt as part of a sacred ritual. The ashes are then scattered across farmlands, symbolising blessings for fertile soil and prosperous crops. As per the culture of Assam, various traditional rituals such as Tekeli Bhonga, buffalo fight and prayers are performed to seek blessings from the ancestral deities.
Cultural Significance Of Magh Bihu
Magh Bihu is one of the three major Bihu festivals of Assam. This festival is enjoyed with delicious food as well as folk music and dance. People make bonfires with green bamboo, grass, fuel and dry banana leaves.
Magh Bihu is celebrated to mark the successful end of the harvest season and to show gratitude for agricultural abundance. The celebration also allows people to enjoy the fruits of their labour after months of hard work. The festival promotes generosity, as food is shared freely among family members, neighbours, and other community members.
Some of the important significances of this festival include:
- Enjoying harvest abundance
- Showing gratitude to nature and fire
- Reinforcement of community unity
- Preservation of cultural traditions
Other harvest festivals of Assam include Rongali Bihu and Kongali or Kati Bihu. The Rongali Bihu coincides with the Assamese New Year and marks the start of the harvest season.
The Kati Bihu is marked in honour of the period of relocation of the rice sampling. The term ‘Kati’ refers to cut. The festival is also referred to as Kongali, as the granaries are generally empty
