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Famous festivals of North East India

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North-East India is the land of colourful tribes, dance and music flows in the heart of everybody. it is blessed with nature’s pure bliss,  indigenous culture and heritage. Various states of North-East celebrate different festivals  throughout the year. Among all the wonderful festivals celebrated in North East India, a few famous ones are mentioned below:

Rangali Bihu

Rangali Bihu
Rangali Bihu (P.C. Saumalya Ghosh via flickr.com)

Celebrated on the Assamese New Year Day, this festival heralds the arrival of spring. Men and women dress up in traditional Assamese clothes, perform Bihu dance and feast on Pitha and Larus during this day.

  • Significance – Assamese New Year
  • When – Between April 13th and April 15th (last day of Cheitra month and first day of Vaisakh month)
  • Where – Assam

Losar Festival

Losar Festival
Losar Festival (P.C. Raju Singh via flickr.com)

This festival, celebrated by the Monpas community in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, denotes the arrival of Tibetan New Year. Festivities go on for at least 15 days in the Monpas households.

  • Significance – New Year for Monpas and Tibet, festival of prosperity
  • When – Last week of February or first week of March
  • Where – Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

Aoling Festival

Aoling Festival
Aoling Festival (P.C. Ronnie Dankelman via flickr.com)

This is the yearly,6- day long spring festival of the head-hunting tribes of Konyaks in Nagaland. Traditional gun shots go off as part of festivities during this festival. Konyaks consume plenty of rice beer during this time.

  • Significance – Denotes end of sowing season
  • When – April 1 to April 6
  • Where – Nagaland

Mopin

Mopin Festival
Mopin Festival(p.c. Arif Shiddque)

This is the harvest festival celebrated by the Galo Tribe community people in Arunachal Pradesh. People perform the traditional Popir dance and smear Ette (rice flour) on each other’s faces.

  • Significance – Harvest festival
  • When – First week of April, usually
  • Where – Arunachal Pradesh

Shad Suk Mynsiem

Shad Suk Mynsiem Festival
Shad Suk Mynsiem Festival

This is a thanksgiving festival, celebrated during the harvest time. Unmarried women take part in this dance and men dance around them in circles. This is celebrated by the Khasi tribal community in Shillong. Festivities go on for three days.

  • Significance – Only unmarried women can take part in this dance
  • When – April
  • Where – Meghalaya

Behdeinkhlam

Behdeinkhlam Festival
Behdeinkhlam Festival(PC kyle suting via flickr.com)

This is a four-day long religious festival, celebrated by Meghalaya people belonging to the faith of “KaNiamTre”.  Celebrated during July, this festival includes offering food to the ancestors of NiamTre and fetching of a sacred log of wood.

  • Significance – Festivities end when the Raths are immersed in water
  • When – July
  • Where – Jowai, Meghalaya

Kang Chingba( Rath Yatra)

Kang Chingba
Kang Chingba

This is a chariot festival, during which thousands of Meitei Hindus pull chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balram and Goddess Subadra. Celebrations go on for 8 days in Manipur during this time.

  • Significance – Exactly similar JagannathRathYatra Festival in Odisha
  • When – July
  • Where – Shri Govindajee Temple, Imphal, Manipur

Kharchi Puja

Kharchi Puja
Kharchi Puja

A huge festival in Tripura, Kharchi Puja, is celebrated for 7 days, during which 14 dynasty deities of Tripura people are worshipped. It is celebrated to cleanse Mother Earth from all unholy elements.

  • Significance – Very religious festival accompanied by large fairs
  • When – July/August
  • Where – Chaturdasha Devta Temple, Old Agartala, Tripura

Torgya

Torgya Festiva
Torgya Festival

This is a 3 day long monastic festival, celebrated with lots of colours in Tawang monastery of Arunachal Pradesh. Monks perform sacred dances wearing face masks and colourful costumes as they celebrate this festival to usher in peace and prosperity.

  • Significance – Chham, sacred dance of select monks is the speciality of this festival
  • When – 28th day of 11th month in lunar calendar (usually January)
  • Where – Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh

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