Tamladu Festival

Have you ever been to Arunachal Pradesh? A visit to this land of rising sun can take you to an abode of dozens of colourful tribes who are proud of their rich cultures and traditions. These people in the beautiful north eastern region don’t have any dearth of festivals to boost brotherhood and bonhomie. Not even a single fortnight is allowed to pass without a festival that showcases the enchanting cultures and traditions in different parts of the hills state.

Digaru Mishimis in the state are known for their unique culture which beckons many foreign and domestic tourists every year. The best time to share the joy of their festivity is February 15 when they celebrate Tamladu. This is what their public display of religious, social and supernatural beliefs. They believe in the might of nature only which can save the people from a devastating fury. The festival is an occasion to appease the nature god seeking His divine help to get rid of the impending disaster. The presiding deity is Lord Jebmalu who is worshipped for their well being. The festival provides the people of various castes, creeds and beliefs a platform to encourage unity and integrity with a strong message for preserving and protecting the age old cultural heritage.

'Tamla' means enclosure while the word 'Du' stands for a ritual. Thus, Tamla-du refers to a ritual inside a house or a particular village. These tribal group in the state offers puja to the God of Water and God of Earth to get rid of the impending natural calamities. The traditional songs and dances get no less prominence in the day long annual event. The most striking feature here is the unique tanggong dance where all the participants converge to form a bee queue thudding all around the corridor. It is also an occasion to showcase their lifestyle with unique clothes, music, food and dance.

The festival of the oldest tribal group in Arunachal Pradesh provides the hardworking people a relief from the back breaking labours of the year.