From Community Feast to Consumer Space: The Emergence of Shopping Mall Culture in Bhogali Bihu Celebrations with Reference to Big Bazaar, Guwahati

This paper examines the transformation of Bhogali Bihu from a traditional agrarian, community-based harvest festival into a commercialized urban celebration within shopping malls, with special reference to Big Bazaar, Guwahati. Traditionally marked by communal feasting, Meji burning, and rural participation, Bhogali Bihu is now increasingly performed in consumer spaces. Drawing on theories of folklorism and the culture industry, particularly those of Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, the study analyzes how festival symbols, cuisine, and performances are commodified within mall culture. Based on field observation and interviews, the study highlights both the commercialization of tradition and the expanding cultural visibility of the festival in urban contexts.