Itanagar, Dec 29: Arunachal Pradesh on Monday launched the country’s first-ever Sunrise Festival at Dong village in Anjaw district, marking a new effort to position the remote eastern frontier on the cultural tourism map.
The five-day festival opened with sacred Meyor rituals, invoking the spirits of forests and mountains and offering prayers to local deities. The rituals reflect the deep spiritual relationship between nature and the indigenous communities of the Dong Valley, where the first rays of the sun fall each day.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated the festival by offering prayers at Dong. In a post on X, he said the Sunrise Festival begins with traditional Meyor rituals that honour nature and local belief systems.
At Dong, the Sunrise Festival begins with sacred Meyor rituals, invoking the spirits of the forest and mountains and offering prayers to the deities. pic.twitter.com/E21P6HmZN8
— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP) December 29, 2025
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Member of Parliament Tapir Gao, and Cabinet Minister Dasanglu Pul.
In a Facebook post, Pul highlighted Dong’s geographical distinction. “Situated in the far eastern corner of the country, Dong village is the first location to witness sunrise each day. The Sunrise Festival celebrates this unique identity while showcasing the region’s indigenous traditions, music, dance and cultural resilience,” she wrote.
Pul said the festival reflects the state government’s focus on promoting border tourism, preserving indigenous culture and strengthening local livelihoods. “The inauguration at Dong underlines Arunachal Pradesh’s role in the nation’s cultural and geographical identity,” she added.
Dong village, located in the remote Dong Valley of Anjaw district near the tri-junction with China and Myanmar, holds significant geographical and strategic importance.
The festival will feature cultural performances and traditions from several tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, including the Mishmi, Singhpho, Galo, Wancho, Nocte, Adi, Apatani, Nyishi and Monpa.
Organisers said the Sunrise Festival has been designed as a community-led destination event centred on the first sunrise. “Our aim is to promote Arunachal Pradesh’s natural and cultural wealth and introduce people to the traditions and belief systems of the Meyor or Zakhring community, whose lives are closely linked to sun worship and the surrounding landscape,” an organiser said.
Officials believe the festival will help draw national and international attention to Arunachal Pradesh’s cultural diversity and its emerging role in sustainable border tourism.
