Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Chowna Mein attended the Mopin festival of the Galo community in Likabali today, where he graced the occasion as a Chief Guest. During his visit, he joined the celebrations and engaged in performing the traditional rituals, and observed the traditional festivities of the occasion. He also visited the indigenous prayer center called Ganggi at Likabali, where he prayed for peace and prosperity in the region.
The Mopin festival is observed by the Galos of Arunachal Pradesh, to seek blessings from the Goddess Mopin Ane and offer prayers to fill every household with abundance and prosperity. The rituals performed in the festival are also associated with driving away evil and making room for peace and harmony among the community members.
While attending the festival, Mein expressed his delight over witnessing the colorful and lively festivities, where he connected with the Galo community and witnessed the cultural events performed with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Chief Minister called for the promotion of pilgrimage site, Malinithan to attract more tourists in the area. He said that as envisioned by the Prime Minister, we are emphasizing in connecting eastern most corner of India, Arunachal Pradesh with the westernmost corner, Gujarat through cultural integration as both the places have historical linkages. He further added that with such program, it will fulfill his vision of connecting people of different regions through Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat.
He further highlighted improvement of road connectivity in the region and also in the entire state, easing the lives of the people of Arunachal Pradesh and tourists as well. He also thanked the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their commitment to connecting every region of the state, which is now fulfilled in almost every corner. He highlighted that earlier, it was very difficult to travel between places in the state, but now, with the effort of the government, every region has been connected with proper roads. Mein also stated that not only in terms of road connectivity, Arunachal Pradesh has also made significant improvements in mobilizing air connectivity through the newly established Donyi Polo Airport and Advance Landing Grounds.
DCM further said that with 26 major tribes and many other sub-tribes, Arunachal Pradesh is among the most diverse states in India. He said that though different tribes have different traditions and cultures, all are united in one state and live in peace & harmony. In this context, he appreciated the organizing committee, the participants, and the gathering for showing beautifully the cultures of the Galo community and for performing the traditional dances together. He reaffirmed the importance of such celebrations by pointing out that these festivals are a way of fostering brotherhood, and called to pass on these cultures and traditions to younger generations.
Mein also spoke about the Govt’s “Vibrant Villages” program, which is currently being implemented across five village clusters in Arunachal Pradesh. Emphasizing the pilot project, Mein talked about the development that is currently underway in these villages, with the goal of uplifting rural development. The project has already started yielding a promising case of reverse migration as well, he added.
During the festival, Mein not only graced the occasion as the Chief Guest but also blended with the Galo community by joining them in their traditional Popir dance.
Earlier in the day, Mein visited the famous archaeological site, Malinithan at Likabali, accompanied by local MLA Kardo Nickyor, ZPC Marpe Nguba, DC Lower Siang Marto Riba, and SP Gothambu Dojanglu where he offered prayers to Maa Durga and sought her blessings for the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
