Arunachal Pradesh

Unying-Aran festival celebrated by the Adi community Unying-Aran Gí:dí, the first festival of the Adi new year with  the traditional spirits, at Naharlagun.

February is a fine month in Miao district of Arunachal Pradesh. The land of colourful Singphos keeps throbbing with the songs and dance of Shapawng Yawng Manau Poi festival. The two day long festival is also known as Manau Poi. This is what the national festival of the Kachins, the counterpart of the Singphos residing in Myanmar. The Singphos call “Shapawng Yawng” their forefathers. 'Poi' means ‘Festival’ and 'Manau' means ‘Dance’. It is an unique festival which is outside India.

The Bori (ADI) celebrates their own festival known as Donggin. In ADI Donggin means spring season. They welcome spring season by celebrating Donggin in 2nd of Feb to 5th of Feb. They celebrate this festival for good harvesting as well. In this festival, they sacrifice mithuns,pigs and chickens to ANE Donggin for well living & prosperity. The 2016 date for this holiday was February 2.

Sarok celebration marks the prayer to the mother earth for well being. It further aims at doing away with the evil spirits. Sarok is the supreme authority over all living beings and the festival belongs to the Akas of the East Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh. Sarok, precisely, is a hat made of bamboo strips and dried banana leaves. They make it an occasion of enthusiasm and traditional frevor at Bana festival celebration ground in East Kameng district.

The Solung is the main socio-religious festival of Adi community. The  festival is primarily connected with the agricultural activities of the people which can be compared with the three Bihus of the Assamese people, as they are also socio-religious in nature, which has a close connection with agricultural.

Festivals are like window panes in Arunachal Pradesh to catch the glimpses of its rich traditions and cultures belonging to the various tribal groups. Since the land of the rising sun is an abode over 150 tribes, the culture is no less charming and diversified. Not even a single month is allowed to pass without a festive occasion in the frontier state. The Apatanis are proud of their Myoko festival. The annual spring festival fetches fresh lease of life to the workaholic tribal group atop the blue hills of the north eastern state.   

Nyokum is a festival celebrated by the Nyishi tribe of the Arunachal Pradesh,The Word "Nyokum" has been derived from the combination of two words - "Nyok"means"land"(earth) and Kum means "collectiveness or togetherness"The Nyokum festivals may very well and be interpreted as inviting  the all the Gods and Goddesses of the universe, with the Nyokum Goddess as the principal deity,The festival is commonly celebrated by the Nishi tribe  from all the class and walk of life for better productivity, prosperity and happiness of all human beings on earth.

The Oriah festival of Arunachal Pradesh is celeberated by the Wanchos, adjoining Nagaland,village society in which the hereditary village chief still plays a vital role, worships the Sun and Moon God. Oriah Festival is a cultural event which is celebrated to please their nature gods like Sun and the moon to grace them with peace and harmony. They invoke nature deities and make animal sacrifices.

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.