Assam: Mising Festival Ali Aye Ligang Begins Today

The agriculturally-based festival of the Mishing community, Ali Aye Ligang, is being celebrated. The traditional  Gumrah dance and the soulful strains of songs echoed across Assam on Wednesday as the Mishing community celebrated Ali Aye Ligang, their most significant agriculture-based festival.

Ali Aye Ligang marks the beginning of the sowing season and symbolises the community’s deep-rooted bond with land, water and cultivation. The Mishings, the second-largest ethnic group in Assam, celebrate the festival with traditional rituals, food, music and dance in villages and towns across the state.

Traditionally, Ali Aye Ligang  was celebrated over five days, though the duration has shortened in many places over the years. Symbolic agricultural rituals mark the first day. According to custom, a small plot in the eastern corner of a field — measuring roughly two to three feet in width and three to four feet in length- is cleaned and prepared. Seeds are then ceremonially sown, signifying the start of irrigation and cultivation for the year.

Preparations for the festival begin weeks in advance. Around three weeks before Ligang, women of the household start collecting ingredients and preparing traditional items essential to the celebration. Among the most important preparations are chamd and white rice wine, both traditional rice-based beverages central to Mishing culture.

From the early hours of the morning, households come alive with activity. Women wake up before dawn to clean their homes and courtyards. Fishing in household ponds is also an integral part of the preparations, as freshly caught fish is used to prepare festive dishes.

On the day of Ali Aye Ligang, every Mishing household prepares a spread of traditional food. Families gather to share the meal, while elders bless the younger members for a prosperous agricultural season.

The celebration is incomplete without the energetic Gumrah dance, performed in colourful traditional attire. Young men and women form groups and dance in rhythmic steps, accompanied by folk songs that narrate stories of nature, agriculture and community life.

Across districts such as Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Jorhat and parts of Upper Assam, large community gatherings were organised, drawing participation from people of all age groups. Cultural programmes, traditional feasts and social interactions marked the day, reinforcing community bonds.

Also Read: State Cabinet Approves Public Holiday on Ali Aye Ligang Day in 10 Dists of Assam