Dibrugarh, Apr 15: Thousands of devotees and visitors thronged the iconic Golden Pagoda on Wednesday as Arunachal Pradesh celebrated the International Maha Sangken Festival, marking the traditional Buddhist New Year with rituals, cultural performances, and community gatherings.
The three-day water festival, observed by Tai-Khamti, Tai-Phake and other Buddhist communities, will continue till April 16. The event transformed the Golden Pagoda complex into a vibrant centre of prayer and festivity, with devotees participating in the traditional ritual of water sprinkling—symbolising purification and the washing away of past misfortunes.
Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein attended the celebrations as the chief guest, highlighting the festival’s deeper significance.
“The Sangken festival is a reaffirmation of our shared values of peace, compassion and brotherhood. It reminds us that water, as it cleanses the body, also has the power to cleanse the soul and bring communities together,” he said.
Beyond its religious importance, the festival also emerged as a major cultural convergence. Performers from Myanmar and Thailand shared the stage with local artists, underscoring the region’s historical and spiritual ties with Southeast Asia. Folk troupes from across Arunachal Pradesh, including the Monpa community, presented traditional dances and music, showcasing the state’s rich cultural diversity.
The International Maha Sangken Festival has steadily grown into a major cultural and tourism draw for the state, blending spirituality with cross-border cultural exchange and reinforcing Arunachal Pradesh’s identity as a key centre of Buddhist heritage in Northeast India.
