Ali-i-Lrigang-An Essay
Ali-i-Lrigang
Ali-i-Lrigang-An Essay
Assam is a state inhabited by various ethnic groups since the distant past. All communities have their own culture, manners, festivals etc. Among the various communities of Assam, the Miching is a notable community. The Miching community live, especially in upper Assam. They are mainly cultivators and their festivals are also based on agriculture. One of their main festivals is ‘Ali-i-lrigang’. It is an agricultural festival similar to the Bihu festival.
It is difficult to get a clue as to when and how Ali-i-lrigang began. According to some scholars, the festival was celebrated long before the Michings came to the plains of Upper Assam to cultivate paddy with ploughs. The Ali-i-lrigang festival may have been different at the time. Since then, it has evolved into what it is today.
In Michigan, ‘Ali’ means seeds grain, ‘I’ means fruit and ‘Lrigang’ means beginning. This means that it is the beginning of the planting season. Like other communities, agriculture and agro-based traditions are the mainstays of the migrants’ way of life. Therefore, the beginning of planting crops is one of the most important parts of their national life. They celebrate the Ali-i-Lrigang festival to please god and wish for good production and pass the time amidst merriment. This festival is celebrated on any day of the month of Phagun. But today, the first Wednesday of the month of Phagun is scheduled for this.
The Ali-i-Lrigang festival of the Michings is divided into two parts. On the first day of the festival, a section of land in the house is planted by the head of the family chanting hymns with broken eggs, potatoes, ginger, paddy etc. This is called ‘lrigang’. After this, they offer Purang and Apang (homemade wine) to god praying for a good life and good harvesting. And then the Michings perform the ‘Gumraag’ dance after dusk. The youths dance in new dresses and make fun. The dance is accompanied by musical instruments such as dol, tal, papaya, gagana, lengnong, madha, lenden, tapung etc.
The Ali-i-Lrigang festival usually lasts for five days. During these five days, the youth and children go from home to home and dance and collect rice, paddy etc. In some areas, this festival lasts for three days.Â
During this festival, they call in a priest at their home and worshipped their gods. During the festival, people refrain from cutting down trees, killing fish, mowing the land etc. This is called ‘madnam’ (abstinence from work). On the last day of the festival, a banquet is held.
Although originally the ‘Ali-i-Lrigang’ is an agricultural festival, its significance is vast. The songs, costumes, musical instruments, food habits, beliefs, folk traditions, etc. associated with it have strengthened the cultural identity of the Miching people. 0 0 0
Ali-i-Lrigang-An Essay
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Ali-i-Lrigang-An Essay
N. B. The article ‘Ali-i-Lrigang-An Essay’ originally belongs to the book ‘School Essays Part-I‘ by Menonim Menonimus.
Ali-i-Lrigang-An Essay
Books of Composition by M. Menonimus:
- Advertisement Writing
- Amplification Writing
- Note Making
- Paragraph Writing
- Notice Writing
- Passage Comprehension
- The Art of Poster Writing
- The Art of Letter Writing
- Report Writing
- Story Writing
- Substance Writing
- School Essays Part-I
- School Essays Part-II
- School English Grammar Part-I
- School English Grammar Part-II..
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