Must attend local festivals of Northeast India

Northeast India is home to hundreds of indigenous tribes and sub tribes with diverse yet unique cultures. Here is a list of local festivals to help you plan your visit so that you get to experienceits enormous cultural diversityalong with its natural beauty. Loshar (Tibetan New Year) Western Arunachal is home to the Monpa tribes, who were at one point of time, subject of the kingdom of Tibet. Loshar is thus one of the major festivals in this part of the country along with Ladakh and parts of Himachal Pradesh. This is the best time to experience some warm Monpa hospitality in cold mountain towns and villages, enjoy their colorful dances, eat local cuisines and drink copious amounts of locally fermented araak. The festival lasts for fifteen days during which locals invite even complete strangers from the street to eat in their homes, dance and generally have a good time. Shad Suk Mynsiem(Khasi Spring Festival) Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem is celebrated by the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya in April to thank Mother Nature for a bountiful harvest and to pray before fresh sowing. The three days of festivities are marked with dancing and feasting much like any other spring festivals. However, the fertility dance of the festival is what sets Ka Shad Suk Mynsiemapart. It is the most important feature of the festival and is a sight to behold. Women dancers, subtle in their movements, represents bearer of fruits while the men are more energetic as they are the cultivators and protectors. The dance symbolizes the productive and protective relationship between men and women.  Bihu (Assamese New Year) Bihu is celebrated in mid April, on the same day as many other spring festivals in India like Baisakhi, PoilaBoishak or Vishu. Traditionally Bihu is celebrated for one week however it is not uncommon to see celebration continuing for the whole month. This is the perfect time to visit Assam. The weather is moderate and you get to immerse yourself in the festivities happening in almost every locality. Beautiful dances, local food and a general celebratory atmosphere add to the overall experience of visiting the region during this time of the year. Poi Sangken (Water Festival) Eastern Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam are occupied by Theravada Buddhist tribes like Khamptis and Singphos. Their traditional new year too falls in mid April like much of India.However, the Khamptis like to ring in the New Year with a good ‘ol water fight. Think of it as Holi sans the colours. Young and old, men and women take part in the festivities which many a times translates into pouring buckets of water onto one other. Once that is done with, you can dig into amazing Khampti delicacies.