Assam: Ali Ai Ligang festival celebrated across State

A CORRESPONDENT

MARGHERITA: The Ali Ai Ligang festival, a traditional agricultural festival of the Mising community, was celebrated on Wednesday with great enthusiasm at 2 No. Kangkan Village Lakla Jagun under Margherita co-district.

Ali Aye Ligang symbolizes the starting of the agricultural season for sowing and harvesting crops as ‘Ali’ signifies seeds, ‘Aye’ signifies fruits and ‘Ligang’ signifies the commencement of the sowing. The festival is celebrated on the first Wednesday of the Phagun month of the Assamese calendar.

2 No. Kangkan Village Lakla is surrounded by the people of Mising community living in a total of 11 villages with more than 12,000 population and the village is 47 kilometres away from Margherita headquarter. The Mising community residing in Jagun, along with other parts of Assam, celebrated the festival with traditional rituals and customs. The festival is a significant event for the Mising community, marking the beginning of the agricultural season.

The Ali Aye Ligang celebration today included traditional dances and songs, with young men and women participating in the event which was organized with an elaborate programme, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Mishing community.

Juga Padun of the festival’s organizing committee said that Ali Aye Ligang is the largest traditional and agricultural-based festival of the Mising community residing at Assam and every year it is celebrated with great fervour and harmony at the village.

“Ali Aye Ligang was celebrated by our forefathers whom in the Mising language we called ‘Abu Tani.’ In the coming days we will take ‘Ali Aye Ligang’ to the world stage and we appeal to all Mising brothers and sisters of Assam to organize it in a huge and unique way,” said Juga Padun.

DIBRUGARH: Ali-Aye-Ligang was celebrated with traditional fervour at DHSK College in Dibrugarh today.

This year, for the first time, the Assam Government declared a full holiday on February 19 across 11 districts - Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Majuli, Charaideo, and Biswanath - to honour the festival.

The event at DHSK College was organized by Mising students in collaboration with the Department of Political Science and the Centre for Tribal Development and Research Centre, DHSK College.

The festivities commenced with a traditional ritual led by Principal Dr SK Saikia, symbolizing the ceremonial sowing of paddy seeds, marking the onset of the agricultural season. Dr Saikia expressed his gratitude and emphasized the importance of preserving and promoting traditional cultures, pledging his support for such noble initiatives.

Dr Lmakholal Doungel, Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science, served as the resource person and speaker for the event. In his insightful address, Dr Doungel highlighted the intrinsic link between cultural identity and traditional customs, urging the youth to actively engage in preserving their heritage. He highlighted the significance of cultural preservation, urging the youth to actively engage in sustaining their traditions. Dr Doungel remarked, “Identity becomes extinct with the death of customs and cultures. We must live our culture and not let our traditional values and wisdom die with us.” He stressed that cultural promotion and the showcasing of traditional attire should not be the sole responsibility of women but a collective effort.

The festival’s highlights included traditional singing, dancing, and feasting. The ‘Gumrag Soman’ dance, performed by young members of the community, captivated attendees with its rhythmic movements and vibrant energy.

The event also featured an essay competition on Ali-Aye-Ligang, with prizes awarded by Principal Dr Saikia. The entire programme was coordinated by Dr Nirmali Pegu and Bhaskar Kewed, ensuring a seamless and enriching experience for all participants.

Jorhat: Assam’s largest tribal community, the Mising tribe, celebrated the Ali Ai Ligang (first sowing of roots and fruits The meaning of Ali is seeds or roots, and Ai means fruit, while Ligang means to sow) festival in Shankarpur, Jorhat with great enthusiasm and cultural fervour on the first Wednesday of the month of Fagun.

The festivities commenced with the hoisting of the festival flag, followed by a series of traditional rituals that honoured the tribe’s agricultural heritage. Members of the community donned their vibrant traditional attire, adding to the cultural vibrancy of the occasion.

This festival, deeply rooted in agricultural traditions, marks the beginning of the sowing season and has been observed by the Mising community since ancient times.

 President of Mising Kabang Jorhat, Indreswar Pegu said, “Ali Ai Ligang is a traditional festival of the Mising community, celebrated as a festival of cultivation. As farmers, we begin our cultivation from this day. We offer prayers to our god, Donyi Polo (the mother Sun and the father Moon), seeking protection for our crops from insects and natural calamities.”

There is a “Morung Okum (Morung Ghar: A dormitory for youth)”, where we offer “Apong” (traditional wine), dry meat, dry fish, and other traditional foods to our god in a customary manner. The Mising community has only one major festival, which is Ali Ai Ligang.

Further he added, “every year, we observe this festival on the first Wednesday of the “Fagun” month. The “Mising Kababang” organised Ali Ai Ligang annually in Jorhat every year. This celebration in Jorhat began around 40 years ago. Traditionally, this festival was celebrated in villages, but for Mising people living in urban areas like Jorhat, we gather together to celebrate Ali Ai Ligang. In the olden days and even today in villages, Ali Ai Ligang is celebrated in its original form. However, in urban areas, the festival is often celebrated on stage. Various traditional competitions also take place during the event.”

One of the highlights of the festival is the traditional Gumrag dance, performed by men and women in rhythmic harmony, symbolizing joy and prosperity for the coming agricultural season.

The celebrations also featured a grand feast, where people enjoyed traditional delicacies, reinforcing the spirit of unity and togetherness.

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