

sekrenyi
NAGALAND
Sekrenyi Festival
The Sekrenyi Festival is celebrated every year in the month of February. It is celebrated by the Angamis tribe of Nagaland in India. On the 25th day of the Angami month of "Kezei", Sekrenyi usually falls. The festival continues for ten days. Sekrenyi is also called Phousnyi by the Angami tribals.
The Festival of Sekrenyi is associated with a series of rituals and ceremonies. The first among the series of rituals is "Kizie". The lady of the house takes few drops of rice water from the top of the jug which is called "Zumho", and puts it into leaves and placed them at the three main posts of the house.
The first day of the festival starts with all young and old men going to the village well for bathing. During the night, the well is cleaned by two young men. After the cleaning of the well is over, some of the village youths guard the well at night so that no one fetches water after cleaning the well. The womenfolk particularly are not allowed to fetch water from the well. All the young men of the village take a bath in the well in the next morning. The whole process of bathing is carried out in a ceremonial manner by the men of the village.
The most interesting part of the Sekrenyi Festival is the Thekra Hie, where the young people sit together and sing traditional songs. During the celebration jugs of rice beer and meat is served to the participants. The seventh day of the festival is reserved for hunting for the young men.
