DEBOLINA ROY
“Bhogali” comes from “Bhog,” which means “enjoyment” or “feasting” in Assamese. This denotes that the actual meaning of this festival involves an occasion when it’s harvest time and there’s plenty inside the granaries, and thus there’s an opportunity for enjoyment or feasting.
The eve of the festival, which is called Uruka, has its etymological roots deep in the indigenous lexicon: The word springs from the Deori-Chutia term Urukuwa, which literally means "to end." This marks the formal end of the long harvesting season.
A unique feature of Bhogali Bihu is the construction of Bhelaghar, which are huge temporary architectural wonders. These are erected by the village youth after weeks of planning and erection, usually in the form of ancient palace models, out of hay, bamboos, and dried leaves.
The religious bonfire, or Meji, is something more than a source of warmth; it is actually a spiritual door. In ancient Assamese lore, it is believed that the prayers, along with offerings of pithas or betel nuts, ascending from the Meji reach God, who resides as ancestral spirits in heaven.
It is the most comic and weird tradition in Bhogali Bihu. It is a custom on Uruka night that the local youths venture out for harmless, "sanctioned" stealing of firewood, vegetables, or even the odd duck from their neighbours' backyards.