The Rengmas commemorate the Ngada festival for eight days just after the harvest. It is the festival of thanksgiving and rejoicing. The Ngada festival is an agricultural oriented celebration. It marks an end to the harvest season of the year. The festival is overseen as a time for the people to rejoice, dance, sing, celebrate, feast and forgive. The celebrations last for seven to eight days, vary....
The Rengmas commemorate the Ngada festival for eight days just after the harvest. It is the festival of thanksgiving and rejoicing. The Ngada festival is an agricultural oriented celebration. It marks an end to the harvest season of the year. The festival is overseen as a time for the people to rejoice, dance, sing, celebrate, feast and forgive. The celebrations last for seven to eight days, varying from place to place in Nagaland. The village high priest (Phensengu) heralds the beginning of the festival at the top of his voice, so that the villagers can prepare themselves for it.
For the Rengmas, Ngada is the mother of all festivals. Aptly, the mother of each household has to taste the newly harvested grains during this year- ender festival before anyone else does. A deviation from this ritual means angering he spirits, so does ignoring other female kin. It made sense to pamper the women; the onus was on them to prepare delicacies and zu (rice beer) to last the entire festive phase.
The highlight of the festival, though, was Ngada Kenyhundzon. It required all able-bodied men, dressed in their war and ceremonial costumes, to visit all Rensis (Morungs) in a village. The women, also in their fineries, followed closely behind carrying the baskets filled with meat and the potent Nkhezü (rice beer), apparently to keep the men’s spirit high. The choicest food, however, would be saved for visitors, who could not get away without eating to their heart’s content.
- The first day of the festival is spent in the preparation of rice beer at every house hold.
- On the second day the Rengma Naga people tread into forest to pick and collect banana leaves.
- The third day is marked by women visiting the graves of the deceased and placing rice beer wrapped in banana leaves. The humble offerings made to the dead souls are considered symbolic. It is also on this consecutive day that the dead visit their homes. The tasting of the rice beer is preceded on by eldest person of the house before the rest.
- On this day men visit the graves of their dead relatives. Also, they gather outside their morungs and have a small feast in which the women do not partake. Later during the day, men strut around village donning their ceremonial and warrior fineries where to women follow them carrying beer to keep them hydrated.
- This day is carried out with men visiting all houses in the village along with music and folk dance, each house offers a token of appreciation to the men.
- The sixth day of the festival is spent feasting and visiting houses in other villages.
- All people venture out to the forest to collect firewood, banana leaves and vegetables for the feast.
- On the last and the eight day a huge feast is organized and the entire village comes together to celebrate. It is believed that after the grand feast end the dead souls return to the land of dead. The festival is concluded with three rites: The first rite consolidates an agreement with fire in order to prevent fire accidents, the second rights amends relations with rats to avoid the destruction of crops, the third rite is marked by the expulsion of evil spirits.
Opp indoor stadium, Kohima Nagaland
How to reach
The nearest airport is Dimapur,
which is 101 KMs away.
The nearest convenient railway station is Dimapur,
which is 104 KMs away.
The nearest major city is Kohima,
which is 48KMs away.