Fairs and Festivals

Fairs and festivals form an integral part of the socio-cultural life that exists in Arunachal Pradesh. In order to see the real picture of tradition and culture followed by the people of Arunachal Pradesh, immerse yourself in the festivities of the state. Several different festivals are celebrated by different social communities in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh celebrates almost all religious, agricultural and socio-cultural occasions. During the celebrations people relax, dance, enjoy, eat, drink and be merry.

The rituals for the festivals are performed the by the priest and the other arrangements are made by the respective community. One of the most common ritual performed in almost all the festivals of Arunachal Pradesh includes animal sacrifice. Festivals are celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh throughout the year. For this very reason, it would not be wrong to call Arunachal Pradesh the land of festivals.

A few of the important festivals celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh are listed below :

Choekhor
Choekhor is organized by the whole of the village community after the crops are sown. The festival is organized during the seventh month of the lunar calender so as to provide supernatural protection to the sown crops, to drive off the evil spirits and for good harvest.

Losar Festival
The Losar Festival is the New Year festival. The Losar Festival is the major festival of Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh. The locals clean out their houses on this occasion to enter into the new year and dismiss all that is old. The festival is celebrated in the end of the February or the beginning of March. Loads of fun and festivities follow the celebrations. The celebration lasts for as long as 15 days.

Torgya
Torgya, a monastic festival is usually celebrated in the last part of the month of January. The celebrations start from the 28th day of the 11th month i accordance with the lunar calender. The celebrations continue for as long as three days with an aim to drive away the evil spirits and ward off the dangers of natural calamity. Monastic dances add to the merriment of the festival.

Monpa Festival
Monpas have associated with their names a flashy festive heritage. Their festivals are generally arranged to celebrate different agricultural practices and religious occasions.

Saga Dawa
Buddhists regard the 4th month of the lunar calender as the holiest of all. It is believed that Lord Buddha took birth and attained enlightenment during this very month. The occasion is celebrated with great fun during the month of May.

Sangken Festival
Images of Lord Buddha are bathed ceremoniously during the Sangken Festival. This festival also marks the beginning of a new year. In order to show merriment people sprinkle water on each other.