Bihu is the most important and widely celebrated festival of Assam, deeply connected with the agrarian lifestyle, culture, and identity of the Assamese people. It is not a single event but a group of three seasonal festivals that mark key phases of the agricultural cycle and the passage of time. These are Rongali Bihu, Kongali Bihu, and Bhogali Bihu. Together, they reflect joy, hope, gratitude, and resilience rooted in everyday rural life. Rongali Bihu, also known as Bohag Bihu, is the most popular and vibrant of the three. Celebrated in mid-April, it marks the Assamese New Year and the beginning of the sowing season. This Bihu is associated with renewal, happiness, and social bonding. People wear traditional attire, with women dressed in mekhela chador and men in dhoti and gamosa. The air fills with the rhythm of Bihu dance and folk music, accompanied by instruments like the dhol, pepa, and taal. Young people gather in open fields to dance, sing, and celebrate, while elders bless the younger generation for a prosperous year ahead. Kongali Bihu, or Kati Bihu, is observed in mid-October during a lean period in the agricultural calendar. Unlike the joyful celebrations of Rongali Bihu, this festival is quiet and reflective. Farmers pray for the protection of their crops and hope for a good harvest. Earthen lamps are lit in paddy fields, granaries, and near sacred plants like tulsi. The simple rituals of Kongali Bihu symbolize faith, patience, and the struggle of rural life during uncertain times. Bhogali Bihu, also known as Magh Bihu, is celebrated in mid-January after the harvest is complete. It is a festival of abundance, food, and community feasting. People prepare traditional delicacies such as pitha, laru, and chira, using freshly harvested rice. On the night before the festival, communities gather to build temporary huts called bhelaghar and enjoy bonfires known as meji. The next morning, the huts are burned as an offering to the fire god, followed by prayers and grand feasts. This Bihu reflects gratitude for nature’s generosity and the joy of sharing. Bihu is more than a festival; it is a cultural expression that unites people across caste, creed, and age. It celebrates harmony between humans and nature and preserves Assam’s rich folk traditions. Through its dances, music, rituals, and food, Bihu continues to strengthen the social fabric of Assamese society and keeps its heritage alive in a rapidly changing world.

Of all the temples in Assam the best known is that of Kamakhya Temple. It is a Shakti Peeth temple situated at Nilachal Hill at a distance of 8Kms from Guwahati City. Kamakhya temple is of historical, archeological as well as religious importance associate with it. It is one of the many great Shakti Pithas of the seat of Tantra. It is here that Sati’s Joni fell when she was dismembered while her corpse was being carried by Shiva. The pieces of her body being enshrined where they fell became places of worship and seats of tantra sadhana. Sadhakas (aspirants) and devotees from all over the country make a pilgrimage o this shrine. According to Hindu mythology the demon king Narakasura built the temple at an altitude of 525 ft. A ground festival has been held here in Ambubachi, a festival of Hindu window in August every year. The holy Nilachal Hills, where the famous temple of Kamakhya has been shining with pride and glory, is now a part of the metropolis Guwahati, the gateway to Northeast India. The mighty Brahmaputra, mentioned as Louhitya in Sanskrit epics and Puranas, is flowing on the northern side of these sacred hills. The history of Assam is closely related to the history of Kamakhya. There has been no serious effort made to study and document the history of the Nilachal Hills and the Kamakhya Temple to date, and only scattered information can be found, which cannot be chronologically linked with desired homogeneity. There is no publication in a single cover which one can refer to regarding the documented history of the temple. On the other hand, it would also be wrong to say that there has been no work done at all, but it is a strenuous task to collect articles and research papers published since 1837, which are scattered throughout the world in various journals. Nevertheless, Kamakhya is not only a religious center, but also a place of natural life. This abode of the Great Goddess abounds in natural beauty. Nature bestows all her charm and fills the place with beauteous grandeur. Kamakhya supplies all the amenities of life. The Bhubaneswari Temple to the east of Kamakhya stands on the top of a hill 690 ft. high and overlooks the Guwahati town and the Brahmaputra River. Thus the natural scenery of hills and rivers, the exquisite beauty of the surroundings, the supernatural significance, the sincere devotion of the dwellers, all these make the Kamakhya Temple a seat of inexplicable mystery. According to a legend the Koch Bihar royal family was banned by Devi herself from offering puja at the temple. In fear of this curse, to this day no descendants of the family dares to even look upward towards the Kamakhya hill while passing by. How to Reach From Guwahati city: By car/taxi: It’s about 7–8 km from Guwahati Railway Station and 20–25 km from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport. You can hire a cab or use ride services; it usually takes 20–30 minutes from the city center. By bus: Local buses and shared autos go toward Nilachal Hill or Kamakhya Temple, but check the route with locals since buses aren’t very frequent. By auto-rickshaw: Readily available from Guwahati city; negotiate the fare in advance. From outside Assam: By air: Fly to Guwahati Airport (LGBI), then take a taxi or cab to the temple. By train: Guwahati Railway Station is well-connected to major cities; from there, follow city transport directions. By road: National highways connect Guwahati to nearby cities like Tezpur, Shillong, and others. Private buses or taxis can drop you near the temple.