Guwahati: Assam marked Kati Bihu on Sunday with prayers, earthen lamps and rituals for healthy crops and a good harvest.The agrarian festival is observed in mid-Oct, when paddy crops are growing in the fields.Unlike Rongali Bihu, which marks the Assamese New Year and the arrival of spring, and Bhogali Bihu, associated with harvest and abundance, Kati Bihu is observed through prayers and the lighting of sakis, or earthen lamps.People light sakis near Tulsi plants in their courtyards and in paddy fields, seeking blessings for healthy crops and protection from pests and insects. The lamps are also associated with prayers for family well-being and prosperity.Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma extended greetings to the people on the occasion.In a social media post, Acharya described Kati Bihu as an embodiment of Assam’s agrarian and cultural life and prayed for the well-being of the people.“On this sacred occasion of Kati Bihu, the embodiment of agrarian and cultural life of Assamese society, I offer my heartfelt devotion and reverence to the Almighty for the well-being of the people of the state,” he said.Sarma expressed hope that the festival would bring hope, prosperity and happiness to every household. “May Maa Lakshmi bless our farmers and Assam with a bountiful harvest,” he added.Cabinet minister Atul Bora, who took part in the observance at Mahura Pathar in Bokakhat, said, “Rooted in Assam’s agrarian traditions, Kati Bihu reflects the close relationship between the state’s cultural practices and rice cultivation. The festival symbolises hope and faith as farmers await the ripening of their crops and the arrival of the harvest season.”He added that PM Narendra Modi govt, as well as CM Himanta Biswa Sarma-led govt, has been continuously prioritising the farmers’ interests by taking various initiatives for the farmers’ welfare.
