GUWAHATI: Ali Aye Ligang festival celebrated across Assam on February 19.
The festival is celebrated by the Mishing people of Assam on the first Wednesday of the month of Fagun of the Assamese calendar.
Ali-Aye-Ligang is a spring festival associated with agriculture, specially with the beginning of the Ahu paddy cultivation.
It is to be mentioned that 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.
In this festival young people of the community in particular participate 'GUMRAAG SOMAN' and dance to the tune of folk songs and melodious 'oi: nitom'.
The first day of the festival is marked by the ceremonial start of paddy sowing and throughout the festival many others activities such as ploughing and tree cutting are forbidden.
The last day of festival called as ‘Lilen’ is observed with a grand community feast with homemade Rice wine with various dishes, especially made with pork meat.