Preparations afoot for Judima Festival at Haflong

From a Correspondent

Haflong, January 20: Preparations for the first ever ‘Judima Festival’ at Haflong on January 23 and January 24, organized by Youth Association for Development and Empowerment (YADEM), Haflong and Dibarai Mahila Samity, Haflong, are on in full swing.

The ‘Judima Fest’ is being organized for popularizing Judima and attracting tourists along with other associated events like trekking, home stay, angling, cycling and sightseeing followed by rock concerts.  Judima is a traditiol brewed rice wine of the Dimasas though, rice wine is also produced by some tribes of the district like Zemes and Rangkhols, the other tribes other than the Dimasas do not brew rice beer at present after they embraced Christianity. The Dimasas are Hindus, still practicing the age-old customs, traditions and their own way of worship.

Judima along with animal sacrifice are required while worshipping the gods. Judima is also mandatory item in any ritual of the Dimasas, like anprasan of the baby, marriage ceremony and death ceremony. Judima is a special part of the Dimasa community. Almost every household in a Dimasa village brews rice wine or Judima.

The ensuing Judima Festival at Haflong is being organized by Youth Association for Development and Empowerment (YADEM), Haflong and Dibarai Mahila Samity, Haflong. Maipal Kemprai of Dibarai Mahila Samity said youths of Dibarai were very enthusiastic and busy for the preparation while women folk were also busy in preparing and collecting Judima for the festival. She also disclosed that they were planning to organize a workshop by which Judima could be branded and promoted in the market.