Mech Kachari tribe celebrates Aai Sagi festival in Dimapur

The post-harvest festival of the Mech Kachari tribe, Aai Sagi festival, was celebrated by community members on Friday at Mandeville Garden, in Dimapur, Nagaland.

Aai Sagi signifies an offering of thanks to deities for a plentiful harvest and merry making.

The festival was organised by the Mech Kachari Public Organisation and had the Governor of Nagaland P. B. Acharya as chief guest, and as guest of honour, the deputy commissioner of Dimapur Kesonyu Yhome was present.

In his message, the governor encouraged community members to preserve their mother-tongue.

"It will be suicidal to replace your mother tongue with others," he said.

Learning other languages, according to the governor, should not be at the "cost of your mother tongue".

"Your language is your cultural identity. Nagaland encapsulates the 'unity in diversity' theme applied to India. I am from Mumbai, it's a magical city. It is also the capital city of performing art. But it was only after coming here, to the northeast region, that I discovered the real culture," Acharya said.

Compared to the cultural depth and richness of the northeast region, he said, "Mumbai is just a shadow".

The deputy commissioner, in his brief address, stated that the Kachari community has contributed in one of the biggest ways in promoting communal peace in the society, especially in the context of Dimapur.

While calling "communal peace" as the community's legacy to the Naga people, he said that the "Nagas and the world has a lot to learn from the Kachari people".

Cultural performances were performed by the troupes from Kushiabill village and Burkhang cultural society.

The main highlights of the programme were cultural dances, traditional games and a tug-of-war competition.