From Manipur To Meghalaya: Northeast Festival Brings Eight States To Delhi

Four women, each singing in their native tongues, took to the stage in Delhi, weaving a tapestry of folk melodies that resonated across the auditorium. While one strummed her guitar with bluesy rhythm, another played the Manipuri Pena, a 500-year-old traditional instrument. The harmony of their performance enthralled the audience, who cheered until the last note faded. Then came a poignant reminder: the words “Manipur needs peace” and “Pray for Manipur” echoed in the hall, silencing the applause and bringing the audience face-to-face with the region’s ongoing unrest.

This evocative performance was part of the inaugural Ashtalakshmi Festival, a three-day celebration of the Northeast’s vibrant cultural heritage organized by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. Named after the eight forms of Lakshmi, the event was driven almost entirely by women and showcased the Northeast’s wealth of traditions—from mesmerizing music and dance to intricate handlooms and tantalizing cuisines.

Preserving Culture and Nature Through Music

The festival’s highlight was the performance by Assamese vocalist and violinist Sunita Bhuyan, Khasi folk and blues singer Tipriti Kharbangar, Naga vocalist Mo Arenla, and Manipuri folk musician Mangka Mayanglambam. The quartet blended Northeast folk music with Mississippi Delta blues, delivering a spellbinding act that celebrated both cultural preservation and artistic innovation.

While Bhuyan’s violin and Kharbangar’s guitar added depth, Arenla’s shaker and Mayanglambam’s Pena—the latter historically reserved for male musicians—stood out. “If the Pena remains sacred and untouched, it will vanish,” Mayanglambam said, underscoring her mission to keep the instrument alive and accessible.

For these women, music is not just an art form; it’s a medium to connect, preserve, and inspire. Tipriti Kharbangar, frontwoman of Shillong-based blues band Soulmate, described music as “a sacred and spiritual way” to convey messages. Her mission? To heal Mother Nature through her songs: “If my music touches people, it’s like bandaging Mother Earth until she heals.”

Women Entrepreneurs Take Center Stage

Beyond music, the festival offered a platform for women entrepreneurs from the Northeast to showcase their craft. A colorful haat (market) outside the auditorium brimmed with eco-friendly products, including bamboo slippers, Wancho wooden masks, and handmade beaded jewelry. Each item reflected the region’s cultural sensitivity toward nature, with goods wrapped in recycled newspaper.

For artisans like Tashi Choju, a weaver from Arunachal Pradesh, and Abam, a jeweler from Nagaland, the festival was an opportunity to take their businesses beyond state borders and present their talent in the national capital.

Bridging the Northeast and India

According to Brigadier RK Singh (Retd.), Managing Director of the North Eastern Handicraft and Handloom Development Corporation, the festival is just the beginning of a broader initiative: “We want to take Northeastern culture to other parts of India, to attract tourists, investment opportunities, and business partners.”

The Ashtalakshmi Festival was more than a cultural showcase—it was a bridge connecting the Northeast to the rest of the country, fostering understanding and appreciation for its heritage, and amplifying voices advocating for peace and preservation.