As spring awakens the fields of Assam, the Mising tribe, the state’s largest tribal community, comes together in joyous celebration. Ali Ai Ligang, their most significant festival, marks the beginning of the sowing season—a time of renewal, tradition, and deep reverence for nature. Held on the first Wednesday of Fagun (February-March), this festival is more than just a cultural event; it is a tribute to the land that sustains them.
A Festival Rooted in Agriculture
The name Ali Ai Ligang translates to “sowing of seeds and roots”, symbolizing the start of a new agricultural cycle. For the Mising people, whose lives are closely tied to the rhythms of nature, this festival is a sacred promise to the earth, ensuring prosperity for the coming year.
Beyond farming, Ali Ai Ligang is a time of unity and gratitude, where families gather, traditions come alive, and the community collectively seeks blessings for a bountiful harvest.
Rituals and Traditions: Honoring the Sun and Moon
The celebrations begin with the hoisting of the festival flag, known as Laitom Tomchar, signifying the official start of the festivities. The tribe offers prayers to their deities, particularly Donyi Polo, the Sun and Moon gods, who are believed to govern all life.
A sacred part of the ritual involves offering traditional foods such as:
Apong – a locally brewed rice beer, essential in Mising culture.
Dry meat and fish – symbolic of strength and nourishment.
Rice and lentils – representing abundance and fertility.
These offerings are made with the hope that nature will, in turn, bless them with a prosperous farming season.
Cultural Splendor: The Dance of Joy
One of the festival’s most captivating highlights is the Gumrag dance. Dressed in vibrant traditional attire, men and women move in rhythmic harmony, their synchronized steps reflecting the spirit of joy, resilience, and prosperity.
The dance isn’t just a performance—it’s a spiritual invocation, seeking peace, happiness, and harmony with nature. Music, folk songs, and energetic celebrations fill the air, turning villages into vibrant hubs of festivity.
From Rural Roots to Urban Celebrations
Ali Ai Ligang has long been celebrated in Mising villages along Assam’s riverbanks. However, in the past four decades, urban centers like Jorhat, Guwahati, and Dibrugarh have embraced the festival, ensuring its traditions thrive even among modern generations.
Despite changing times and locations, the soul of the festival remains intact, keeping the Mising identity and heritage alive.
The Mising People: Guardians of the Land and Rivers
The Mising tribe belongs to the Tani ethnic group and primarily resides in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. According to the 2011 Census, their population in Assam stood at approximately 680,424.
Traditionally, they practiced jhum (shifting) cultivation, but over time, they transitioned to settled wet paddy farming, adapting to changing agricultural landscapes while staying deeply connected to nature. Their riverine lifestyle, shaped by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, defines their customs, livelihoods, and festivals.
A Way of Life Rooted in Donyi Polo Faith
Spirituality is woven into the fabric of Mising life. They follow the Donyi Polo belief system, worshipping the Sun (Donyi) and Moon (Polo) as supreme cosmic forces. Their faith isn’t confined to temples—it flows through their daily rituals, agricultural practices, and community gatherings.
Ali Ai Ligang embodies this belief, reminding the community that humanity and nature are inseparably linked.
Preserving a Timeless Legacy
As the Mising people continue to celebrate Ali Ai Ligang, they do more than honor an ancient tradition—they pass down a legacy of resilience, harmony, and gratitude to the land.
In an ever-modernizing world, their festival stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of indigenous cultures, ensuring that heritage and history remain alive in every seed sown, every dance performed, and every song sung.
So, as the fields come to life this season, Ali Ai Ligang remains a beacon of hope, unity, and reverence for the earth—reminding us all that culture, like nature, flourishes when nurtured with love and respect.