Navi Mumbai: The Tai-Ahom community in Greater Mumbai is gearing up to celebrate Me-Dam-Me-Phi, a traditional festival honoring ancestors, after a gap of 8 years. The event, last held in 2017, could not be organized in the intervening years due to various reasons. This year, however, the community is planning to mark the occasion on a grand scale.
“The last time the event was held was in 2017, but due to various reasons, we were unable to conduct it in the following years. This year, the community has planned to celebrate it with much fervor,” said Rajani Kanta Borgohain, a member of the organizing committee.
Me-Dam-Me-Phi, one of the most significant festivals of the Tai Ahom community in Assam, is celebrated to seek the blessings of ancestors and honor their souls. According to tradition, the Tai Ahoms believe that after death, ancestors achieve divinity, and their blessings bring success and prosperity to their descendants.
“It is a huge festival in Assam, and we are trying to replicate the same fervor here in Navi Mumbai. While the actual festival falls on January 31, it being a working day in Maharashtra, we will celebrate it on February 1,” Borgohain added.
Special preparations are underway for the event, including inviting priests from Assam to conduct the rituals. “Me-Dam-Me-Phi means offering to ancestors and nature. It is an auspicious event with deep ritualistic significance that must be conducted under the guidance of a learned priest. The Assamese community in Mumbai and nearby area will gather to witness the event,” he explained.
The celebration will include traditional rituals and cultural programs aimed at fostering a sense of community and preserving Assamese heritage in the city.
For more information about the event, interested individuals can contact Rajani Kanta Borgohain at 9969220915.
