Popular Festivals in Northeast India You Should Not Miss

Festivals, Heritage

Festivals in Northeast India hold the most fascinating stance in the country for various reasons. Flaunted by dashing culture and matchless tradition, the cultural mosaic during the festivals in each state is worth cherishing. It is also always accompanied by soulful music, dance, shows, culinary delights, warm hospitality, and other indigenous attractions. Most of these festivals go on for a week or two and are gravely influenced by agriculture, religious rites, and thanksgiving. Hence it is an opportunity for all tribes and communities to bond, celebrate, and rediscover their roots once a year.

Attend these enriching festivals for a whole different experience and discover the rich traditions enough to feed your mind with cramping memories.

Famous Northeast Indian Festivals

Festivals in Northeast India are a significant way of bringing a sense of oneness within the tribes and communities. Ethnic folks reviving the old ways, age-old traditions which are still unknown to you and beautifying them in the celebration will surely amaze you. If you have long-sought for exclusive entertainment, you should definitely get moving and attend these festivals at all costs.

Hornbill Festival – Nagaland

Hornbill Festival in Nagaland is the most prestigious festival in the state as well as in the region of the Northeast. It is also called the ‘Festival of Festivals’ where 17 major tribes of Nagaland jointly showcase their cultural values and traditions in absolute euphony. A celebration is an annual event that usually commences on 1st December and concludes on 10th December. Mainly driven by agriculture as most tribal depend their lifestyle on it, thus the festival is commemorated customarily. During the long 10 days of celebration, one can explore the insights of the Naga Culture through the food they prepare, the arts they perform, the soulful music, the folklore, and other indigenous shows. The ornate typical tribal huts, the morungs and the wood arts they display during the festival date back to the primeval days.

Where To Stay During The Hornbill Festival 2022?

Most tourists and locals prefer staying in Kohima as there are far better options to stay. Hotels such as –

and more are all prepared to welcome Hornbill Fans. Some homestays are also available nearby the venue on a first-come, first-served basis in Kisama Heritage Village.

Sangai Festival – Manipur

One of the staggering cultural delights is Sangai Festival, a marvelous inter-cultural festival in Manipur. The festival is a sight to behold where all ethnic tribes and communities of the state come together to promote their ethnic activities in harmony. The symphony of music and dance, arts, crafts and culinary displays are the top crowd-pleasing activities in this week-long festival. One can have a fun-fulfilling experience at the Sangai Festival which is usually held from November 21st to November 30th every year. Being part of the festival, one can also cheerfully witness the Cherry Blossom Festival in Mao, Senapati District. Share the zeal and enthusiasm of the people during this festival and explore the unique culture of Manipur.

Ziro Music Festival – Arunachal Pradesh

The grand music carnival of the Ziro Music Festival in Arunachal Pradesh is not an event to miss. The chill air, good ambience, unbeatable landscape, and its steps to promote eco-friendly practices make it one of the best entertainments to ever attend. With each edition getting better, it is seeking worldwide attention where artists and bands from local and international levels come and participate. Not only will you enjoy the music and the entertainment but the various typical cuisines and street style food will make you drool till you taste them.

The Aoleang Festival – Nagaland

The Aoleang festival is a popular festival of the Konyak community in the Mon District of Nagaland. It is usually celebrated at the beginning of the spring season which is also a harvesting season and new year for the tribe of Konyak. People of the tribe come together to celebrate the good harvest they have collected and they sing, dance, feast and make merry for about a week. Traditional activities such as folk songs and dance with ululating sounds, food and drinks, and artistic crafts are the top attractions during the festival. Rice beer is the signature drink during this festival. The Konyak tribe is once famed as the deadliest headhunter tribe which now has become the top interest for the world to visit and this festival is a good chance to explore the tribe insightfully.

Saga Dawa – Sikkim

Sikkim on a whole different level is one of the most beautiful places in the country. The sublime landscape and the pleasing weather blended with the vibrant lifestyles of the inhabitants there make it a place so endearing to visit. Also, the various festivals they celebrate vibrantly make another top reason to visit Sikkim. One such beautiful festival is the Saga Dawa Festival, a Buddhist festival observed in the Tibetan Lunar Month. The festival is also called the Month of Merits where the Buddhist community commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. Monasteries are fully adorned with festive ornaments and people can be seen offering water, burning incense sticks and chanting prayers around the Gompas. Partake the celebration to get insights into the rich Buddhist culture and enlighten your spiritual life during these times.

Bihu Festival – Assam

Bihu Festival of Assam is celebrated to welcome various agricultural seasons, mainly the plantation season, post-plantation, and harvesting season. Comprising three types of Bihu namely Bhogali Bihu, Rongali Bihu and Kati Bihu, they are the most anticipated festivals in Assam where each occasion is celebrated for about a month. The Rongali Bihu marks the beginning of the Assamese new year which is celebrated in April, which is also a time of plantation. Kati Bihu takes place in October as a sign of the completion of a plantation. The Bhogali Bihu is observed in January and is the occasion to commemorate the end of the harvest season.

The beautiful and famous Bihu dance is performed during these festivals and a special food item called Pitha, a typical preparation out of rice powder, wheat flour and other ingredients is served to the guests. People exchange Gamosa with their near and dear ones as a sign to express their greetings and warmth.

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Dambuk Orange Festival – Arunachal Pradesh

The abundance of the world’s juiciest orange in Dambuk, Arunachal Pradesh, gives way to the auspicious celebration of the Orange Festival. The festival is marking itself as an international name for the variety of activities of its clubs as a music and adventure festival. It is a go-to place for fervent explorers and music lovers who seek adventures and fun at all costs. The festival offers an array of activities including tribal feats and shows, musical performances, adventure activities, road trips, camping, local cuisines and other delights. You will naturally get fond of everything that is displayed during the festival and attending it is never a thing to regret in life.

Whilst attending the event try not to miss the freshly squeezed orange juice which is sweet as heaven or to keep your body warm and keep the night young, take a crazy sip of rice beer and wine which is widely served during the festival.

Cherry Blossom Festival – Meghalaya

The carnival at Cherry Blossom Festival in Shillong, Meghalaya is an assortment of enthralling activities. Upon arrival for the festival, you will be thrilled by the welcoming sight as the entire landscape wears the daintiest colours of the pink cherry blossoms. The next thing you will be engrossed with is the warm and courteous gestures of the locals, their hospitality and traditions. To see the sea of whimsical pink colours spreading around the region is to visit during Mid-November when the Himalayan Cherry Blossoms blooms in its full glory. The carnival taking place in different spots such as Ward’s Lake, Polo Ground and Golf Course in Shillong, is another reason to love this festival. Take a car ride around these spots to have the best experience of one of the best festivals in Northeast India.

Shirui Lily Festival – Manipur

The adorable Shirui lily blooms in the season of spring dotting the entire hilltop of Shirui Kashong. The folks of Ukhrul cannot help but celebrate the most enchanting season in the form of a festival called the Shirui Lily Festival. Held every year in Ukhrul somewhere in mid-April when the lilies are in full bloom, this festival is an extravaganza of music, pageant shows, cultural events and others. The people rejoice on the occasion by preparing traditional delicacies, traditional performances, exhibiting their arts through crafts and clothes, and other interesting things. It is considered one of the most charming festivals in Northeast India for its engaging manifestation of cultural values and traditions.

Also Read :- SHIRUI KASHONG AND ITS BEJEWELLED SHIRUI LILY

Chapchar Kut Festival – Mizoram

Celebrated throughout the entire region of Mizoram, the Chapchar festival is one of the biggest and most popular festivals in the state and in Northeast India. It is a form of thanksgiving celebration for the beginning of a good harvest. The people put on the best and most colourful traditional costumes and celebrate them with pomp and shows. Cheraw and Chai dances, a kind of bamboo dance, are one of a kind to witness and over the years it has triggered the interest of both domestic and international tourists. Enjoy the food and drinks, the rhythmic folk music, the arts and other Mizo cultures.