Porag Festival is a post-harvest annual festival celebrated by the Misings of the eastern Indian state of Assam in which dancers and drummers of villages are invited to deliver their power-plugged performances in the nearby village. The people residing in these villages are entertained in this process and the Porag Festival is also popularly termed as `Nara Singha Bihu`. The festival is observed to please Mother Earth, their ancestors and the Almighty, thereby receiving their divine blessings. The local young girls and boys adorn themselves in their traditional costumes and readily participate in the dances and songs. The songs which are sung in this festive event are inspired by agriculture and resemble the dance steps that are practised while farmers are engaged in agricultural tasks.
The community hall of the community of the Misings which is referred to as the `Morung` is beautifully decorated by embellishing its posts and tie-beams. However, presently, the tradition of adorning the morung has been modified and a brand new hall has been introduced. The youngsters of the tribe organise the festival in an official and very systematic procedure known as the `Daghik`. Bar Puwary and Miham Bora are the two officers who are entrusted the responsibility of ensuring the even functioning of the festival. Under their leadership, Bar Barabi, Deka Bora, Ramuli and Tiri Bora are some of the low and high officers who work ceaselessly to make sure the Porag Festival is observed smoothly. In the olden days, a `Miboo` was established as a leader for the operation of this festival. Nowadays, Bar Puwary and Migam Bora has taken the place of Miboo.
About four or five pigs are sacrificed in Porag Festival and vast quantities of drinks and food items are arranged much prior to this festival. The host village invites the inhabitants of neighbouring villages to be involved in the festival and they are known as guests or `Mimams`. The guests are received with much reverence and ushered towards the Morung where dances are taking place. `Ponu Nigam` is a special prayer dance which is performed at the conclusion of the Porag Festival.
