Cultural troupes of NE states continue to enthrall audience on 7th day of Nagaland's Hornbill Festival

The ongoing silver jubilee edition of the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland's Kisama has been a spectacle of vibrant cultural displays, with jubilant dances and traditional performances taking centrestage on the 7th day on Saturday.

The audience was captivated by a diverse range of performances showcasing the rich cultural heritage of India’s northeastern states.

The Rongmei community kicked off the cultural presentations on Saturday with their mesmerizing Rangdai Lam, also known as the Hornbill dance, a tribute to the majestic bird that symbolizes the festival.

This was followed by performances from the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), featuring troupes from seven Northeastern states.

The Lusei community of Mizoram enthralled the crowd with the Cheraw dance, a traditional Mizo dance where men tap long bamboo staves in rhythmic beats while girls in colorful costumes dance between them.

From Sikkim, the Bhutia community presented the Singhi Chham dance, where dancers donned lion costumes to symbolize the snow lion.

The Chakma community of Tripura showcased the Bizu dance, a captivating group performance with fluid circular movements.

The Assamese community mesmerised the crowd with the Bihu dance, one of India’s most colourful folk dances, full of energy and enthusiasm.

From Manipur, the Meitei community performed the Lai-Haraoba dance, a traditional dance which mirrors the pre-Vaishnavita culture.

Arunachal Pradesh's Adi community performed the Taapu dance, a famous war dance, while the Garos of Meghalaya wowed the audience with their graceful Wangala dance, celebrating the harvest season.

In the evening session, another Sikkim Cultural troupe performed - Lepcha - Dambrow Zow which is a traditional dance form that incorporates rhythmic dance steps symbolizing the process of husking paddy rice.

Mizoram’s second cultural troupe presented Sarlamkai dance, which is a warrior dance performed to celebrate a victory in war.

The Arunachal Pradesh another troupe presented the Etor Festival (Adi community) which is one of the most important and popular festivals in the state's Adi belt. This festival is celebrated in the month of May every year and this festival is only for males.

Tripura’s second troupe performed the jhum dance (Chakmas Community), it is another popular dance of the Chakma Community. As agriculture has had a palpable influence on their culture, Jhum cultivation has been a popular theme. In this dance, various steps of Jhum cultivation are depicted by the group of dancers making sometimes round and sometimes horizontal rows.

Another Manipur group presented the Lai - Haraoba Dance by Meitei Community. The ancient Manipuris have developed a very comprehensive form of dance which is popularly known as Lai-Haraoba which mirrors the Pre-Vaishnavita culture.

It is performed generally between the spring and rainy seasons before the temple of Umanglai.

The Khasi Community of Meghalaya performed the Harvest Dance in the field, the 'Nongshoh Kba' or the harvesters, make the 'Phawar' (Khasi traditional couplets) calling for the wind to blow away the chaffs.

While returning home, each and every house gets busy merry making. Men and women in traditional costumes dance with enchantment, rapture and delight.