The greatest traditional festival of the Garo tribes in Meghalaya and Assam, is Wangala. It is dedicated to the sun god, known as Misi-Saaljong, and falls in the second week of November. The Garo tribes depend on agriculture and so give thanks to Misi-Saaljong, the god of fertility. People celebrate this festival with dancing, eating and singing. The festivities continue for three days and nights.
The major highlight is the sound of 100 drums (nagaras) being beaten. Rugala and Sasat Sowa are celebrated on the first day of this two-day festival, and all the rituals are performed in the house of the chief of the village. Dama Gogata is celebrated on the second day. Young men, women and old people dress in their colourful garments (Dokmanda or Gando) and feathered headgear and dance to music played on long, oval-shaped drums.
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Derived from the Hindi word, 'Haryali' meaning greenery, the Hareli festival is important in Chattisgarh, celebrated by its Gond tribes. It is celebrated in the month of Shravan (July-August). On this day, farmers worship their farm equipment and cows. The crop goddess, Kutki Dai, is worshipped to ensure a better harvest. Farmers place branches and leaves of the Bhelwa tree in the fields and pray for a good crop. They also hang branches of neem on the main door of their homes to prevent seasonal diseases. Children too have their fair share of fun — they play Gedi, where they walk on bamboo stilts and take part in the gedi race.
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Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival celebrated in Assam, every January. It marks the end of the harvesting season in the month of Maagha (January–February).
The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires. Youngsters erect makeshift bamboo huts, known as Meji and Bhelaghar , and in Bhelaghar they eat the food prepared for the feast. Then the next morning, the huts are burnt. Traditional Assamese games are also played. They include tekeli bhonga (pot-breaking) and buffalo fighting. Women participate in group songs and dance. Rice cakes — known by various names — Shunga Pitha, Til Pitha, are hot favourites of the festival, as are some coconut sweets called Laru .
Nuakhai or Nuankhai is one of the most important festivals in Western Odisha. Also referred to as Nuakhai Parab or Nuakahi Bhetghat, the festival's literal translation is new food where nua means new and khai, food. It is usually celebrated a day after Ganesh Chaturthi. People worship food grain on this day, and farmers offer the first produce from their lands to goddess Samaleswari, to whom the festival is dedicated.
The first record of its existence dates back to the 12th century, when the first Chauhan, Raja Ramai Deo, founder of Patna, realised the significance of settled agriculture. The subsistence economy of the people in the area was primarily based on hunting and food gathering, which he realised could not generate the surpluses required to maintain and sustain a state. Thus, Raja Ramai Deo can be credited with making Nuakhai a symbol of Sambalpuri culture and heritage.
World over...
Communities around the world honour the harvest season with celebrations. Here are some global favourites.
Madeira Flower Festival, Madeira, Portugal: Funchal’s April flower festival fills the air with fragrance and marks the arrival of spring in Portugal. Each of the island’s children bring a bloom to create the colourful Muro da Esperança (Wall of Hope), and intricate flower carpets line the streets.
Rice Harvest, Bali, Indonesia: Dewi Sri, the rice Goddess, is venerated in Bali, where rice is the staple crop. During the harvest, villages are festooned with flags, and simple bamboo temples dedicated to the goddess are erected in the most sacred corners of the rice fields. Small dolls of rice stalks representing Dewi Sri are placed in granaries as offerings.
Olivagando, Magione, Italy: This two-day festival, in November, celebrates the feast day of St. Clement and the local olive harvest, bringing together everyone involved in the production of olive oil. A priest blesses the new oil at a special Mass, and the town hosts a medieval dinner in its 12th-century castle.
Chanthaburi Fruit Fair, Thailand: Chanthaburi is renowned for its native fruits. During the summer harvest, the annual Fruit Fair exhibits exotic durians, rambutans, longans, and mangosteens in vibrant arrangements. There are art displays, and the opening-day parade features floats made from thousands of tropical fruits and vegetables.
Sukkot, Jerusalem, Israel: Its a celebration of Israel’s harvests and locals reminisce about the time when the Israelites wandered the desert living in temporary shelters. Families build makeshift huts, or sukkah, with roofs open to the sky. Here, they eat, and sometimes sleep, for the next seven days.