Fair and festival :
     
The superb blend of heritage extracted from numerous races have made Assam home to the most colourful festivals at once blazing, compelling and mesmerizing. Most of the festivals celebrated in Assam have their root in the varied faith and belief of its people. Diweli, Holi, Durga Puja, Swaraswati Puja, Lashmi Puja, Kalipuja, Shivaratri are some of the major festivals celebrated by the Hindus of Assam. Those of Islamic faith celebrate Idd and Muharram, Similarly, Christians celebrate Christmas.
Besides the religious and national festivals observed throughout the Country, Assam has a large number of colourful festivals of its own replete with fun, music and dances. Assam's fairs and festivals

are as varied as its population which comes from Bihu, the agricultural festival of Assam is celebrated by all Assamese, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Bihu, Assam's very own festival come off at various stages of cultivation paddy, the principal crop of Assam. There are three Bihus that come off at various stages of cultivation of paddy, the principal crop of Assam. They are Bahag Bihu or Ronagali Bihu.
Kati Bihu or The Bahag bihu (spring time Bihu) starts on the last day of the month of chaitra which is also the last day of Hindu calendar year and ushers in the new year (mid-April being the beginning of the Hindu calendar year), The first day is called Garu bihu. It is the day of the cattle when bulls, cows and calves are bathed anointed with turmeric,fed with brinjals and gourd and given new tethering ropes. The second day, i.e. new year's day is called Manush Bihu. It is the for men, women and children. New cloths are put on, delicacies are prepared in every household for feasting and alms are given to the indigent. Old quarrels and differences are settled, friends and relatives are visited and entertained with food and presents of hand-woven scarves are made for near relations and close friends. The bihu continues for seven days. The main activities during the bihu festival besides those mentioned above, are
dancing and singing and serving rice-beer to visitors.

The Magh or Bhogali Bihu is celebrated in mid-January on the last day of the month of Poush and the first day of magh during which the harvest is gathered. On the Uruka day, i.e. the evening preceding the actual bihu day, young men build a temporary shelter in the open, collect firewood, often by stealing, which is permissible on this occasion, for a bonfire. A non-vegetarian feast is held at night and at crack of dawn, fire is ceremoniously applied to the meji constructed the previous evening. The meji is a structure built of logs of wood placed in pairs, tier above tier till they rise to considerable heights and presents the appearance of a lofty temple. The male folk of the entire village or locality gather at the size of the meji and there increase fertility. The Kati and Kangali bihuis the poor bihu and is held on the last of Aswin(Sep-Oct) coinciding with the autumnal equinox. It is called Kangali(poor) because there not much to eat this time of the year. The main function associated with this bihu is the workship of the sacred tulasi(basil) plant at the root of which earthen oil lamps are plant. Although Bihu is the observed in all parts of Assam, in Goalpara and Kamrup districts of lower Assam and in Darrang district of central Assam, where it is called Domahi it is not attended with dancing as in upper Assam.

Deul of Barpeta, is another festival; celebrated by Assamese. Deul is Doul Yatra which synchronizes with Holi.
to the second day of Bhadra. It is connected with Manasa Maroi puja. Manasa the serpent goddess is worshipped by many peopleof Goalpara, Kamrup, Darrang and Nowgaon district of Assam. In Sualkuchi and pasariya villages, the the festival continues for five days.
Buddhist, Shans and Burmese on the borders of Assam have their two great festivals, Pocham and Pochi, in honour of the Buddha.
The sizeable Muslim population off Assam celebrate all the major Islamic festivals.
Assam Muslim population is so integrated that they participate in the secular cultural festivale like Bihu etc.
In addition to all these, the tribals of Assam have their own colourful festivals like:
-The Kherai Puja of the Bodos
-The Baikhu and Pharkantis of the Rabhas
-Ali-ai-ligang and Prag by the Missing tribe
-The Sagra-misawa wansawa and laghun by the Tiwas,
-The Ahomes of Tai origin celebrate Me-Dem-Mehfi,
-The Ojapali dances of Non-Vaishnavite origin are usually associated with Manasa-the Serpent Goddess.
-Bathow festival is celebrated by the kacharis through sacrifice of goates and chickens.
The Boros of the plains in general have an intricate pattern of indigenous dances associated with the primitive rituals like the Kherai Puja.
-The Dimasas celebrate Rangi Gobr and Harni gobra at the start of the cropping cycle.
-The Deoris observe Bohagiya visu-the Spring time festival.
-Ambubasi Mela is held during monsoon at the famous Kamakhya Temple.
-Jonbeel Mela is held every year during winter at Jonbeel. The festival is celebrated by the tribes like Tiwa, Karbi, Khasi, Jaintia etc.