People of Assam are all geared up to celebrate the much-awaited harvest festival Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu. No uruka feast in Magh Bihu can be complete without a dish of fish.

Massor tenga, paatot diya, mass pura and just plain fried – no uruka meal is complete without an assortment of fish items cooked with local herbs and spices.

On the occasion of uruka, fish prices in the markets have skyrocketed but couldn’t deter the flow of customers. The prized catches from various places started pouring in the markets including Guwahati.

The price of the Chital – an integral part of the traditional uruka feast – soared as high as Rs 1,000 in the markets. Local varities of fish were also seen in demand. Braving the cold, people were seen standing in queues since 4 in the morning.

Magh Bihu is the celebration of the harvest and dedicated to Lord Agni, the Hindu fire god. The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires. People erect makeshift huts, known as meji and bhelaghar, from bamboo, leaves and thatch, and in bhelaghar they eat the food prepared for the feast and then burn the huts the next morning.

Photo: Nabin Bora