31 January
Me-Daam-Me-Phi
Me-dam-me-phi is the worship of the ancestors of the Ahoms. Through this puja, blessings are sought for the well-being of one’s own society and country by establishing non-physical connections with the ancestors. Every year on January 31, for this puja, the Ahoms gather together to form an eight-room temporary ho-phi (temple) and sit here eight mehengas (sharai) and worship eight phis, including their original father, Lang-Dan, the deity chief. In addition to offering prayers to the Lord in this puja, the Ahom flag painted on ngi dam envelope is hoisted and a feast is celebrated in a community manner. For the first time in Assam, this puja is said to have been celebrated at The Burha Badiyar Thana in Tipam. In addition to publicly organized me-daam-me-phi, the Ahoms also celebrate this puja domestically. There is a code in the Ahom language for the observance of this puja, known as Khek-Lai. It is worth mentioning that with the arrival of Chao Lung Sukaphaa in 1228 AD, Me-Dam-Me-Phi came to Assam.