Ancient Popular Festivals in North-East India
By Madan Mohan Singh
Summary
This article surveys festivals in ancient North‑East India, showing that they were integral to social and religious life. Drawing on Vedic texts, the author describes samajjas where people enjoyed chariot races, music and games and notes that Kautilya recommended rulers organise yatra, samaja and utsava to foster public moralefile:///home/oai/share/563029_compressed-327-430.pdf#:~:text=us%20that%20not%20only%20the,to%20be%20festive%20gatherings%2C%20bothfile:///home/oai/share/563029_compressed-327-430.pdf#:~:text=says%20that%20the%20festvity%20and,and%20Pravabana%20by%20the%20state. The Ashokan edicts mention festive gatherings and discourage animal sacrifice. The Hathigumpha inscription records Kharavela entertaining citizens with contests, music and dancefile:///home/oai/share/563029_compressed-327-430.pdf#:~:text=king%20Khiravela%20entertained%20the%20citizens,very%20important%20aspect%20of%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%9F. Buddhist sources describe the Giragga‑samajja festival at Rajagriha, attended by high officials and featuring music, dance, conjuring and acrobaticsfile:///home/oai/share/563029_compressed-327-430.pdf#:~:text=gathering,According%20to%20commentary%3A%20gt%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82. Jataka tales portray festivals as popular gatherings held on auspicious constellations involving wrestling, archery, animal fights, drama and musicfile:///home/oai/share/563029_compressed-327-430.pdf#:~:text=In%20the%20Jataka%20stories%20nakkbata,%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%20%29%20and. The article emphasises that kings sometimes hosted festivals at palace courtyards to display power and win favour and that religious festivals like the Caturmasya rites blended ritual observance with communal merriment. Through these examples the author argues that festivals served multiple functions: reinforcing social cohesion, expressing religious devotion, providing entertainment and serving as instruments of statecraft. The study integrates literary and epigraphic evidence to illustrate the continuity and diversity of festival traditions in the region.
Conclusion
By synthesising Vedic, Buddhist and epigraphic sources, the article shows that festivals in ancient North‑East India combined religious rites, social entertainment and political strategy. They were occasions for dance, music, sports and ritual worship, fostering community bonds and legitimising royal authority. The study underscores the centrality of festivals in regional culture and highlights their enduring significance.