Bihu Greeting Cards

Bihu is the most important festival of Assam and one of the most celebrated cultural occasions in Northeast India. Far more than a religious festival, Bihu is a celebration of life, nature, agriculture, and community — a time when the people of Assam come together to mark the changing seasons with music, dance, food, and gratitude. The festival is unique in that it is celebrated three times a year, each Bihu marking a significant transition in the agricultural and seasonal calendar of Assam.

The three Bihus are Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu), Kati Bihu (Kongali Bihu), and Magh Bihu (Bhogali Bihu). Each has its own character and significance. Bohag Bihu, the most joyous of the three, marks the Assamese New Year and the beginning of spring. Kati Bihu is a more subdued, prayer-oriented festival during the growing season when farmers light earthen lamps to protect their crops from pests and pray for a good harvest. Magh Bihu is a harvest festival celebrated with community feasts (Bhortal), bonfires (Meji), and the sharing of an abundance of traditional Assamese food.

When is Bihu Celebrated?

The three Bihus follow the Assamese calendar: Bohag Bihu falls in mid-April (around April 14-15), coinciding with Baisakhi in Punjab and Vishu in Kerala. Kati Bihu falls in mid-October (around October 17-18). Magh Bihu falls in mid-January (around January 14-15), coinciding with Makar Sankranti across India. Of these, Bohag Bihu — also called Rongali Bihu (the "joyful Bihu") — is the one most widely celebrated and the one that draws the greatest festive energy.

How is Bihu Celebrated in Assam?

Bohag Bihu is celebrated over seven days with a week-long explosion of colour, music, and dance. The first day, called Goru Bihu, is dedicated to the cattle — cows and buffaloes are bathed, fed special food (including gourds, aubergines, and turmeric), and decorated with new rope and vermilion. On the main Bihu day (Manuh Bihu), families wear new clothes, younger members seek blessings from elders by touching their feet, and everyone comes together for a community celebration. The fourth day is Chenehi Bihu, when new clothes are also gifted to sons-in-law in a gesture of warmth and respect.

The Bihu dance — performed by young men and women together in the open fields — is the heart of the festival. Women in mekhela chador (the traditional Assamese two-piece garment) and men in dhoti and gamosa (the traditional Assamese towel-like cloth) move in lively, energetic circles to the rhythm of the dhol (drum), pepa (buffalo horn flute), toka (bamboo clapper), and gagana (jaw harp). The dance celebrates fertility, love, and the joy of spring. The Bihu song (Bihu geet) is equally cherished — lyrical poetry celebrating the beauty of Assam's landscape, the joy of the season, and the emotions of young love.

Traditional Assamese foods are central to Bihu celebrations. Pitha (rice cakes made with jaggery, sesame, or coconut) in many varieties — til pitha, ghila pitha, tekeli pitha — are prepared and shared as gifts. Larus (round balls made with coconut and sesame with jaggery), curd, and rice beer (haj or apong, brewed from fermented rice) are also part of the traditional fare. Neighbours exchange platters of these homemade sweets as a gesture of warmth and community.

Warm Bihu Wishes to Share

Celebrate the joy and spirit of Bihu with a personalised greeting for your loved ones in Assam and beyond:

• "Subha Bihu! May this festival of joy and harvest bring happiness, health, and prosperity to you and your family."
• "Happy Bohag Bihu! May the colours and music of Bihu fill your heart with the warmth of Assam. Jai Aai Axom!"
• "Wishing you a joyful Bihu filled with the sweetness of pitha, the rhythm of dhol, and the love of family. Subha Bihu!"
• "May this Bihu mark the beginning of a year full of good health, great harvests, and endless celebrations. Happy Bihu!"