Boori Boot Yullo Festival

Arunachal Pradesh, the abode of over 150 tribes has no dearth of occasions to showcase the colourful cultures and traditions. All of the tribes have festivals to be proud of. The festivals are no less charming for the foreign and domestic tourists who keep visiting the frontier state.

The hill Miris, in Arunachal Pradesh are known for their festivity which provides them a platform to upkeep their songs and dances, manners and customs. Their much vaunted festival is Boori Boot Yullo. The annual spring festival further marks the end of their bounteous harvest season. During this festival, the consecrated soul is summoned to sanctify the people. Apart from it, it is an occasion of mass prayer for prosperity eliminating the possibility of any fatal ailments. The striking feature here is the giant assemblage of people cutting across the barriers of cast, creed, age and sex. The young ones take the lead to be guided by the elders where Nibu (Priest) would perform the rituals.

It is the custom of these people in the hills state to apply ‘etting’ on the bodies of their contemporaries and the fiesta is allowed to continue for a period of three days. The emotional moment comes as they observe 'Rugi Enam' in the festival. Even the people from the far flung areas of upper and lower Subansiri districts join the event. The festival has an anthem which speaks of the sun rising, planets, mighty rivers, flora and fauna. A portion of the lyric deals with the earth which keeps on rotating around the sun along with other heavenly bodies.

The anthem calls Boori Boot a festival for peace, prosperity and well being of man and animal alike.

According to the anthem, the event would help men and animal get rid of any epidemic and other natural calamities.

Another portion of the anthem speaks of the migratory birds in and around the villages which keep the villagers warming. It says the end of winter would invite the spring before the monsoon season which would help them prepare for the jhum cultivation. Rice beer also takes prominent mention in the anthem which is required for merry making.