How Hill Festivals Keep Northeast India’s Traditions Alive
Photo Credit : Furbago
In the hill states of Sikkim, Mizoram and Nagaland, seasonal customs bind people to land and crops. Through harvests and dances, ancient traditions survive in modern times.
Each December, Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival brings together tribes to display seasonal dances, music, crafts and rituals, enriching cultural identity and unity.
On Day 4 of Hornbill 2025, tribal performances lit up Kisama with dances and songs rooted in seasonal life, drawing visitors.
Hornbill’s Cultural Connect unites groups from all eight north‑eastern states, with Mizoram’s Cheraw bamboo dance and Sikkim’s Snow Lion dance honouring nature.
In Sikkim, Losoong marks the end of the farming season and the Sikkimese New Year in December, with dances and community feasts for prosperity.
Bhutia and Lepcha communities host Cham masked dances in monasteries to banish negativity and welcome positive energy for the next agricultural cycle.
In Mizoram, Pawl Kut in December celebrates the rice harvest with feasts, folk songs, dances and the Chawnghnawh ritual reflecting gratitude and family unity.
Across Nagaland, festivals like Sekrenyi in late winter purify body and spirit before new agricultural work, linked to seasonal cycles.
Other seasonal customs, such as Mim Kut after maize harvest, honour ancestors and strengthen community bonds through shared music and dance.
The Zeliangrong festival of Gaan Ngai across Assam, Manipur and Nagaland celebrates the harvest’s end with hope and cultural devotion.