Fairs and Festivals of Arunachal Pradesh
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Spring Time
Festivals
The spring time festivals
are celebrated during the period from January to April by the
different groups. In the celebration of these festivals, the
religious rites and the sacrifices are generally performed by their
priests and assistants.
·
Losar Festival
The Losar festival of the
Monpas, which is their new year, is celebrated for five days. On the
eve of the festival, people clean their houses to usher in the New
Year and to discard the old. The dirt and the grit of the old year
are considered to symbolize ill health. During the five days of the
festival, prayers are offered for prosperity and good health. Its
highlights are the colourful Aji Lhamu dance, Lion and Peacock dance
and the Yak dance. The festivities also include the hoisting of
religious flags atop their homes, visiting the houses of friends and
relatives, reading holy Buddhist articles in every house and
lighting the butter lamps in the houses and the campuses.
·
Reh Festival
Appeasement of the deities who
control the peace and prosperity of the people is the theme behind
the six day celebrations of the Reh festival, essentially associated
with the Idu Mishmis. The festival comes to an end with great
funfair. The priest dance performed during the six days is another
special attraction of the festival.
·
Ojiale Festival
The Wanhos celebrate
their most popular festival, Ojiale during March-April, for a period
of six to twelve days interspersed with prayer, song and dance.
Villagers exchange bamboo tubes of rice beer as a mark of greeting
and good will. Pig's skin is offered to the village chief as a mark
of respect.
·
Tamladu Festival
Another important festival is
Tamladu, essentially celebrated by the Digaru Mishmis tribe. During
the festival, prayers are offered to the God of Earth and the God of
Water for protection against natural calamities. The supreme Lord Jebmalu is worshipped
for welfare of human beings, the standing
crops and domestic animals.
·
Khan Festival
This festival marks as an
occasion for the reunion of the people. Besides the usual
festivities, the significance of the festival lies in the ceremony
whereby the priest ties a piece of wool around everyone's neck. The
belief is that the enchanted thread will bring good luck to each of
them.
·
Sangken Festival
Sangken festival is an occasion to
bathe the images of Lord Buddha ceremoniously.
·
Thsi Festival
Thsi also heralds the New Year and
people sprinkle water on each other as a sign of merriment.
·
Mopin Festival
One of the groups celebrates Mopin
for wealth, prosperity, good health and universal happiness.
Smearing of rice powder on each others' faces marks the beginning of
the festival which is celebrated for five days.
·
Mol Festival
The Mol festival of the Tangsas is
also celebrated for three days to welcome the New Year.
·
Torgya Festival
The Torgya Festival is a 3-day affair. This important festival
signifies the destruction of evil spirit and harmful forces and
seeks the rule of prosperity and happiness amongst the people.
·
Saka Dawa
Celebrated in the 4th month of the lunar calendar, the Saka Dawa
festival marks Gautam Buddha's achievement of Nirvana.
·
Dukpa Tse-Shi
The Dukpa Tse-Shi Festival celebrates the preaching of the Four
Nobel Truths at Sarnath by Buddha. It falls in the 6th month of the
Lunar calendar.
·
Lhabab Duechen
In the 9th month of Monpa, the Lhabab Duechen Festival signifies the
reincarnation of Buddha as Shakyamuni.
·
Nyukom Yullow
Nyukom Festival of the Nyishis is celebrated on 26th February every
year to propitiate the Gods for a good harvest.
·
Solung
Solung is the colourful festival of the Adi Minyong group. The
festivities last for seven days and the villagers prepare rice beer
and store plenty of meat and vegetables for the joyous occasion.
·
Dree
Dree is the main festival of the Apatanis. It is celebrated on the
5th of July after the planting of paddy.
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