Mongmong Festival in Nagaland.

Come September, the extreme eastern state of India – Nagaland would be the perfect place to visit as these agrarian mountain-folk whose lives revolve and depend on agriculture, celebrate the harvest festival – ‘Mongmong’ which in the local ‘Sangtam’ dialect means ‘togetherness forever’. Mongmong is celebrated week-long during the first week of September.

Mongmong Festival celebrates harvest and friendship that has kept these mountain tribes of Nagaland together always. The festival starts off with the village priest (beburu) announcing ‘Zangnyuo Mongmong Nung Eh-Lehe’ or the commencement of the festival with prayers and rituals at midnight.

·        On the first day – which is called ‘Singkithsa’, the oldest person of the area is asked to perform the festival rituals at the well. The villagers spend the day collecting millets, vegetables and firewood from the fields. Livestock (cows, pigs and mithuns) transactions are closed on this day.

·        On the second day, as the gathering of the firewood and the vegetables continues, meat for the festive delicacies is arranged.

·        On the third day which is called ‘MÜSÜYANGTAP’, people worship their three oven stones in belief that these stones represent God (Lijaba). Families eat food only after this worship is done. Local rice beer dancing, tug of war and other merry-making activities take over next.

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Courtesy : Hop Around India Blog