Netting a good harvest

These villagers were immersed in a community fishing event that took place at Goroimari Lake in India's north-eastern state of Assam last Friday as part of the Bhogali Bihu celebrations.

Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival celebrated by the Assamese.

"Bhogali" means a variety of rich food items, according to The Statesman newspaper. True to its name, the festival is celebrated with mass feasting of traditional food, as well as ritual activities and games.

According to the Assamese calendar, the festival marks the end of the Puha month and the beginning of the Magha month. Hence, this festival is also known as Magha Bihu.

As different parts of India observed regional harvest festivals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent wishes to the farming community on Friday through his Twitter account.

"May these festivals bring abundance of happiness and prosperity in the lives of our hard-working farmers," he wrote.

"These and many other festivals celebrated across India add great colour and happiness in our lives. This diversity is India's greatest strength."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 16, 2017, with the headline Netting a good harvest. Subscribe