Kanya Sankranti

When the Sun enters Virgo (Kanya), it heralds the lean months before the main harvest. In Assam, this is observed as Kongali Bihu—literally "poor Bihu"—reflecting the hardship of the season when granaries are running low but the paddy is still growing in the flooded fields. The word kongal means impoverished, and this Bihu carries a quiet, introspective mood.

Diyas (earthen lamps) are placed in paddy fields, around the tulsi plant, and near riverbanks to honour departed ancestors and invoke blessings for a good harvest. The haunting sight of flickering lamps in rain-soaked paddy fields against the backdrop of the Brahmaputra valley is one of the most visually evocative images of rural Assam. In some communities, a traditional scarecrow effigy is also erected in the fields—a ritual that merges agricultural protection with spiritual intention.