Hangseu Manaoba- The grand festival of the Dimasa !

     (photo: "Bagaoba" in Haflong DSA ground on February 2, 2010) 

    The Busu, the most joyous festival of the Dimasas are celebrated widely through its stages of Jidap or Surem. But the third and the grandest category Hangseu Manaoba is mostly celebrated by a large village where there are large numbers of Hangseu or youths. As Haangseu Manaoba is to be celebrated for seven days or seven nights without stopping of the Khrams (drums) and Muree (trumpet), music, dance, feasting and drinking, therefore the undertaking of this particular category needs a sound economy and healthy background of the village. Due to this the youths take initiative to collect fund long before its celebration. They
therefore sometimes engaged as day labourers
in the jhum of their fellow farmers for fund raising. Some village youths sometime even make a special jhum for this purpose and thus produce like vegetables, pumpkins, chillies, paddy etc. which are used for the occasion. Provision for sufficient quantities of meat, and rice beer- Zudima, Plantain leafs, Pontho-bamboo cups, firewood for the whole night’s bonfire as well as for cooking for the whole seven days have to be making by the youths accordingly. Busu being termed as community festival of merriment, generally the entire responsibility of the celebration is borne by the youths of the village. Throughout the celebration period the village people observe holidays called Genna, meaning restricted holiday. During the celebration of Busu the village people do not go out for work or take up any kind of journey. Each and every one has to try their level best not to spoil the festivity spirit but to celebrate in its fullest way, which ought to be made.

     It is in this Hangseu Manaoba as a mark of festivities and reception; the youths use to erect the traditional welcome gate called Fangsla, at the main entrance gate of the village. The Fangsla is wholly constructed with a bamboo, which is artistically designed and decorated with a splattered bamboo itself. In the by one days the Fangsla is supposed to be constructed only during the Hangseu Busu, not on the surem or jidap. But now a day, whether it is Jidap or Surem, one can see the Fangsla in the celebration of Busu, especially in the urban areas.


    The celebration of Hangseu Manaoba is led under the guidance of selected leader Gajaibao. Besides this leader, they also have boys’ leader called Nagahoja and girls’ leader called Mathlahoja. In Dimasa, young boys or men are called Nagarao and young girls or women are called Mathlarao. Hangseu or Hangso is a youth organization of which both the Nagarao and Mathlarao are members. They therefore work hard day and night under  the  guidance of the said three leaders to make the   Hangseu Manaoba Busu a grand success.





                 Hangso Manaobani Bagauthai



Baoring jiwang jingswe,
Araonjai baoring jiwang jingse
Jiwang jingse sonai sonai wangselei.


Jawring gainlao aki hangmai gao,
Heleo ronjai mairing gede gom
Aki longo kilong longba meser,
Gesemsa lairui nihangloba meser,
Gesemsa lairui lai.


Sengmai gaomai senem bamse,
Baigaoke atem maigao,
Goke naisong naigaoyalao,
Semringpake ningrimjen atem
Baujailang.



courtesy : Department of Information & Public Relations (Janasanyog)
Dima Hasao District Assam