The Assamese community residing in Navi Mumbai is gearing up to celebrate Rongali Bihu, also known as Bohag Bihu, on April 15. This vibrant festival marks the Assamese New Year and the onset of the harvest season, symbolising joy, renewal, and community bonding. Despite being far from their home state, Assamese residents in the city are making dedicated efforts to bring alive the essence of this deeply cherished tradition.

Celebrations begin a day earlier with Goru Bihu, which falls on Sankranti. This day is dedicated to worshipping cattle, an integral part of agrarian life in Assam. Ruma Hazarika, a resident of Kharghar, shared that they observe this tradition by preparing a mix of leftover vegetables and a special curry, which is then fed to cows. “In Assam’s villages, bulls and cows are bathed with turmeric, given gourds and brinjals to eat, and tied with new ropes. It’s a day of gratitude,” she explained.

The day of Sankranti also holds significant domestic importance. Assamese families deep-clean their homes and perform rituals to welcome the New Year with purity and blessings. “We dress in traditional Muga Mekhela Chadar, apply mehendi on our palms, offer prayers to our household deities, and seek the blessings of elders,” Hazarika added. The day is marked with a special meal called jal-paan, served without rice and typically consisting of herbs and vegetables arranged in bamboo baskets.

Even though the city's climate doesn’t replicate the cool, breezy weather of Assam during Bihu, the community here strives to recreate the festival’s charm through music, dance, and food. Various Assamese cultural associations are organising festive events across the city that promise to bring people together in celebration.

In Kharghar, the Assamese Welfare Association has organised a grand Bihu celebration from the evening of April 14 to April 15 at Sanskrutik Hall in Sector 5.

Elsewhere, the socio-cultural organisation Gagona is preparing for a vibrant Bihu evening on April 19 at Mira Road. The event will feature traditional Bihu and Husori dances and will also include a musical performance by popular singer Anubhuti Kakoty Goswami.

The celebration will continue later in the month, as the Assam Association of Mumbai, one of the oldest Assamese organisations in the city, prepares to host a grand Rongali Bihu event on April 26 at Rang Sarda, Bandra. The evening will include a cultural showcase headlined by Guwahati-based band Bound Morphemes, along with a festive feast offering an array of traditional Assamese delicacies.

Entry to these events is typically facilitated through a coupon system to ensure smooth and organised participation.