APSC TDO: 50 lesser-known festivals and rituals from Northeast India

Assam

1. Poi-Chankien: Ahom
2. Phang Chi Mung (AHOM)  is observed for well-being of village during crop failure, epidemic or bad weather.
3. Chora Utuwa Aai Sabah (AHOM) (Chora means boat, utuwa means floating and Aai means mother) ritual is generally observed in the rainy season. Hens are sacrificed for this ritual and an artificial boat made of sheath of the banana tree is floated in water.  The ceremony is meant for getting rid of diseases in rainy season.
4. Rongker: A festival of the Karbi tribe, held to appease the local deities for a good harvest and protection from natural calamities.
5. Kin-on-Meu or Na-Khuwa, which is a very popular and famous celebration among Tai Ahoms, is celebrated in the New Year’s month of Dinsing or Aghun month.
6. Rajini Gabra: A religious festival celebrated by the Dimasa tribe, involving rituals to seek protection for the community.
7. Sikpui Ruoi: A festival of the Hmar tribe, celebrating the harvest and showcasing their traditional dance and music.
8. Garja Festival: Celebrated by the Rabha tribe, it is a religious festival involving animal sacrifices to appease deities.
9. Rikhkhvan : Ahom ( Crowning ceremony)
10. Beshoma Festival: Celebrated by the Deori tribe, this harvest festival includes songs, dances, and community prayers for a good crop.

Arunachal Pradesh

11. Solung: Celebrated by the Adi tribe, it is a harvest festival that includes animal sacrifice, prayers, and dances.
12. Mopin: A festival of the Galo tribe, celebrated to ensure a good harvest and ward off evil spirits.
13. Nyokum: Celebrated by the Nyishi tribe, this festival involves the worship of nature and praying for communal harmony.
14. Dree Festival: Celebrated by the Apatani tribe, it is a fertility festival, praying for a bumper harvest and protection from natural calamities.
15. Sangken: A water festival celebrated by the Khamti tribe, marking the Buddhist New Year with water sprinkling as a symbol of purification.
16. Reh Festival: Celebrated by the Idu Mishmi tribe, this festival is dedicated to the deities for prosperity and fertility.
17. Lossar: The New Year festival of the Monpa tribe, celebrated with dances, religious rituals, and feasting.
18. Oriah Festival: A festival of the Wancho tribe, celebrated with animal sacrifices and prayers for a good harvest and prosperity.
19. Chalo Loku: Celebrated by the Nocte tribe, this festival marks the end of the harvest season with dances and feasting.
20. Boori Boot Yullo: A fertility festival of the Hill Miri tribe, celebrated to ensure a prosperous harvest and protection from evil spirits.

Manipur

21. Kang Chingba: A traditional Ratha Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath celebrated with great fervor by the Meitei community.
22. Heikru Hidongba: A boat race festival celebrated in the Imphal valley, marking the unity and harmony of the community.
23. Ningol Chakouba: A festival of the Meitei community, celebrating the bond between married women and their parental families.
24. Chavang Kut: A harvest festival celebrated by the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes, involving dances, feasts, and traditional songs.
25. Mera Houchongba: A festival symbolizing unity between hill and valley people, marked by cultural performances and rituals.
26. Thabal Chongba: A moonlight dance festival celebrated during Yaoshang (Holi) by the Meitei community.
27. Lui-Ngai-Ni: Celebrated by the Naga tribes of Manipur, this festival marks the beginning of the seed sowing season.
28. Gang-Ngai: Celebrated by the Zeliangrong tribe, this festival involves ancestor worship, dances, and community feasts.
29. Mera Chaorel Houba: A pre-harvest festival celebrated by the Meitei, marking the arrival of the new year in the lunar calendar.
30. Cheiraoba: The Manipuri New Year festival, marked by ritualistic offerings and climbing nearby hilltops for blessings.

Meghalaya

31. Behdeinkhlam: A major festival of the Pnar tribe of Jaintia Hills, celebrated to drive away evil spirits and ensure a good harvest.
32. Shad Suk Mynsiem: A thanksgiving festival of the Khasi tribe, celebrated with traditional dances to mark the end of the sowing season.
33. Nongkrem Dance: A festival of the Khasi tribe, celebrating the harvest and seeking blessings for peace and prosperity.
34. Wangala: The harvest festival of the Garo tribe, dedicated to the sun god Satyong, celebrated with drumming and dancing.
35. Laho Dance Festival: A vibrant festival of the Pnar tribe, featuring group dances performed during the harvest season.
36. Ka Pomblang Nongkrem: A Khasi festival involving the sacrifice of goats to appease the ancestors and seek blessings for a bountiful harvest.
37. Chad Sukra: A Jaintia festival celebrated before the sowing season, involving dances, rituals, and prayers for a successful harvest.
38. Ka Shad Mastieh: A Jaintia tribal festival celebrated in the War-Jaintia region, focusing on fertility and agricultural prosperity.
39. Rongkhli Festival: A festival of the Khasi tribe, celebrated to honor the river spirits and seek blessings for safety and prosperity.
40. Seng Kut Snem: A religious festival celebrated by the Khasi community to honor their indigenous faith and ancestors.

Nagaland

41. Moatsu Mong: Celebrated by the Ao tribe, it marks the end of the sowing season with singing, dancing, and rituals.
42. Tuluni: A festival of the Sumi Naga tribe, celebrated in the middle of the year to mark the completion of the rice crop planting.
43. Sekrenyi: Celebrated by the Angami tribe, this festival symbolizes purification and the ushering in of the new year.
44. Aoling: The New Year festival of the Konyak tribe, marking the beginning of spring and the end of the harvest.
45. Tokhu Emong: A post-harvest festival of the Lotha tribe, celebrated with community feasting and traditional dances.
46. Lui-Ngai-Ni: Celebrated by the Naga tribes, marking the start of the seed sowing season with traditional ceremonies.
47. Mimkut: A festival of the Kuki tribe, celebrated after the harvest with offerings of bread, vegetables, and traditional drinks.
48. Hega Festival: Celebrated by the Zeliang tribe, this festival involves prayers for a good harvest and community bonding.
49. Metumniu Festival: Celebrated by the Yimchunger Naga tribe, marking the end of the agricultural season and featuring dances and rituals.
50. Rengma Ngada: A post-harvest festival of the Rengma tribe, marked by offerings to ancestors and community feasts.