Kati Bihu
Also called Kongali Bihu, Kati Domahi
When
Sunday, 18 October 2026 in 38 days
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See the complete panchang for that day โ
Why this date?
The first day of Kati in the Assamese solar calendar, from the Sun's entry into Tula.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- Governed by the whole day rather than a specific period
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate โ
Dates in the coming years
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The austere Bihu. Lamps are lit at the tulsi plant, in the granary and in the paddy fields, and there is neither feasting nor dancing โ the granary is empty and the crop is still standing.
- Deity: Tulsi
Why The reason behind it
Kongali means poor, and the festival is honest about it: this is the point in the year when last season's store has run out and this season's is not in. The lamps in the fields are lit for the standing crop's protection, and the sky-lantern raised on a bamboo pole is for the same purpose.
Traditional basis
Assamese agricultural calendar โ Kati 1 as the lean-season observance, from the Tula sankranti.
Bihu tradition โ Kati or Kongali Bihu as the austere one of the three.
How At home, step by step
- Light an earthen lamp at the tulsi tulsi-bindaa in the courtyard and keep it burning through the month.
- Light lamps in the paddy field and the granary.
- Raise the akaxi gonga, the sky lantern, on a bamboo pole.
Fasting and breaking the fast
There is no feast; the restraint is the observance.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- Assam (Assamese)
Kept quietly across Assam; the contrast with Bohag and Magh Bihu is deliberate.
For children
The quiet Bihu. There is no dancing and no feast, because the food from last year is finished and this year's rice is still growing. People light little lamps in the fields for the crop.
Common questions
- Why is one Bihu so different from the other two?
- Because the year is. Bohag Bihu celebrates the sowing and Magh Bihu the harvest; Kati falls between them, when there is nothing to celebrate with. The festival marks that rather than pretending otherwise.
Not the same day
These fall nearby or share the tithi, and are often confused with this observance. They are separate, and this site dates them separately.
- Bohag Bihu
- Magh Bihu (Bhogali Bihu)
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.