Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended his greetings on the occasion of Magh Bihu.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wished, “Best wishes on Magh Bihu. I hope this festival deepens our bond with nature and furthers the atmosphere of joy.”

Magh Bihu falls in the local month of ‘Magh’ during mid-January. It is also called ‘Bhogali Bihu’ as it is celebrated with community feasts after the annual harvest takes place.

This year, the festival will be celebrated on large scale across the state for the first time after the onset of the covid pandemic in 2020.

The highlight of this festival is the food, which is made from the abundance of grains after the harvest. The night before ‘Bhogali Bihu’, which falls on January 13 or 14 sometimes, is called ‘Uruka’ meaning the night of feasts. The villagers make bamboo huts called ‘Bhelaghor’ or community kitchens where they begin with the preparations for the festival.

People also offer prayers to the God of Fire and pick up pieces of half-burnt firewood, and throw it among the other fruit trees for the next bountiful harvest, to mark the festival.

From surviving the cold winters to moving towards the livelier season of spring, harvest festivals like Lohri, Bihu, Pongal are celebrated in various parts of India. From eating special food to celebrating it all night with dance and music, the festival not only marks the beginning of an auspicious year but also brings the family together.