Assam’s Mising Community Welcomes Spring with Ali Aye Ligang Celebrations

The Mising community across Assam is preparing to celebrate Ali Aye Ligang with great enthusiasm and traditional spirit. It is the main agricultural festival of the Mising people and marks the beginning of the sowing season.

Observed on the first Wednesday of the Assamese month of Phagun, Ali Aye Ligang holds deep cultural and spiritual significance. The festival symbolises agriculture, unity, and the arrival of spring.

On this auspicious day, farmers ceremonially sow seeds in their fields and offer prayers to their traditional deity Donyi-Polo, seeking blessings for a good harvest, prosperity, and well-being.

Preparations begin days in advance, with villages coming alive with traditional music, dance rehearsals, and community gatherings. Young boys and girls practise the vibrant Gumrag dance, while cultural groups rehearse folk songs that reflect themes of love, hope, nature, and agricultural life.

Women play an important role in the celebrations by preparing traditional Poro Apong (rice beer) and cooking special dishes such as smoked pork, fermented fish, and other local delicacies. Families and communities come together to share meals, strengthening bonds and preserving their cultural heritage.

The festival grounds are filled with colourful traditional attire, rhythmic drum beats, and joyful performances, showcasing the rich identity of the Mising community. Elders bless the younger generation, and the celebrations continue with music, dance, and feasting.

Ali Aye Ligang continues to symbolise unity, agriculture, and cultural pride in Assam, bringing people together to celebrate tradition, identity, and the spirit of spring.

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