Assam celebrates Ali-Aye-Ligang with enthusiasm

Assam's Mishing community celebrates Ali-Aye-Ligang across state today. Ali-Aye-Ligang is a spring festival associated with agriculture, specially with the beginning of the Ahu paddy cultivation. The festival begins on the first Wednesday of the month of Fagun of the Assamese calendar.

During this festival, Misings indulge in great banquet with Apong (homemade Rice wine) with various dishes, especially made with pork meat. Packed boiled rice is cooked in water with special leaves. Beautiful damsels belonging to the Mishing tribe prepare their ethnic delicious items and also performed their traditional dance 'Gumrag Soman' wearing their beautifully hand-woven colourful traditional attire.

The festival marks onset of sowing seeds. The name of the festival is made up of three terms, 'Ali', legumes, 'Aye', seed and 'Ligang', to sow.