April 14, 2023: Bohag Bihu, which is also known as Rongali Bihu, marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year and is one of the most important festivals of Assam. This festival is celebrated starting from April 14 for seven days every year.

This bihu begins with Goru Bihu on April 14. On this day, the collective cattle of a village are taken to a pond or a river to washed with a combination of symbolic herbs: maah-halodhi (black gram and turmeric paste), whipped dighloti (litsea salicifolia, a plant with long leaf), makhioti (flemingia strobilifera, tonglati (a plant with flower like soft plastic butter-fly) and pieces of lau (bottle gourd) and bengena (brinjal). While washing the cattle, people says: "Dighloti dighal paat, maakhi marru jaat jaat; lau khaa bengena khaa, bosore bosore bardhi jaa, maare xaru baapere xoru toi hobi bor bor goru".

The next day i.e Manuh Bihu is celebrated on April 15. On this day, people give offerings to the elders and the ancestral spirits and ask for blessings. People have a special maah halodhi bath, dressed up with clothes and light saki at Gohai Ghor (the household prayer place). People also present the ceremonial patch of Bihuwan or Gamosa, as a gift, which is worn as a symbol of cultural pride.