Chega Gadi, celebrated in the month of October, is one of the most popular festivals of the
Zeliang tribe in
Nagaland, celebrated with great pomp and festivity. The Singkupiu, the village priest, announces the festival after sighting the first new moon. Once the festival begins, the men and women are separated and the women are prohibited even from touching the fire, cups and plates used by the men in the festival. During the dusk, all the men along with two high priests go out of the village’s main gate and make new fire to be used for the festival. They are then blessed, after which they shout, signifying that they have been sacred. The two males, who had observed fasting, will go to the jungle and collect wood on the third day of the festival. The wood is carved like a man and is put on the main gate of the village. This wooden statue is speared by the men. After this, all the men meet at the main ground of the village, where various competitions like long jump, wrestling, and cock fight are conducted. The Singkupiu declares the completion of all the arrangements and lift all prohibitions imposed earlier.
