Why in news?
The Tiwa tribe of Assam recently celebrated their traditional Lankhong Puja. The annual festival invokes blessings for a successful Rabi crop and highlights the community’s agricultural and cultural heritage.
About the festival
- Meaning: Lankhong Puja is a socio‑religious ceremony where prayers and offerings are made to deities for a good harvest.
- Celebrants: Observed by the Tiwa (Lalung) tribe, an indigenous community of Assam belonging to the Tibeto‑Burman linguistic family and the Mongoloid ethnic stock.
- Rituals: Community members gather to offer grains, fruits and other offerings. The festival features music, dance and cultural performances that reinforce social bonds.
About the Tiwa tribe
- Habitat: The Tiwas inhabit Nagaon, Morigaon, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and other districts of Assam, as well as parts of Meghalaya and Tripura. They are divided into hill Tiwas and plain Tiwas, with distinct lifestyles shaped by geography.
- Cultural features: Rich oral traditions, folk music and dance, and youth organisations such as Chamadi that organise social service. Their settlement names often include “Tiwa” meaning “water” and “superior”.
Lankhong Puja highlights the importance of agriculture in tribal life and preserves indigenous cultural practices.