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Reh - Idu Festival
 Reh
is one of the most important festivals of the Idus. The Idus believe
that they are the sons and daughters of the divine mother 'Nanyi Inyitaya'.
But none can get her blessings and keep alive bond of brotherhood and
social feeling strong, unless one performs the puja or celebrate the Reh
festival. But it is so expensive that only a few people can afford to
celebrate the festival for propitiation of the supreme creator, the great
mother 'Nanyi Inyitaya'
The festival is celebrated during February-August. The people who inhabit snow fall areas viz.
Talo, Amru, and Dri villages of the Dibang
valley celebrate it during summer and monsoon i.e. during June-August, when the climate is moderate and shoal of fishes are available in
streams and rivers. The Idus in the other parts celebrate the same during
February to May.
The festival requires a number of sacrificial buffaloes for offering to the great mother 'Nanyi Inyitaya'. Presents such as money in cash and pigs are
given to the relatives. The festival being very expensive, all arrangements and
preparations for the festival have to be made four or five years before the
actual celebration of the festival. As such a person wanting to celebrate this
festival has to take resort to the system locally called 'Ada' which is nothing
but collection of mithuns, pigs, cash, money etc., even by way of loan from
others. When
'Ada' is completed a tentative year is fixed about one year ahead of the
actual celebration. The preparation of rice beer in large scale locally called
'Yunyiphri' is under taken, three to four
months before the actual celebration.
After all necessary arrangements and preparations are made, 'Tayi' a form of calendar is served to all kith and kin as an invitation to come to the
celebration on scheduled dates. The 'Tayi' is counted by knots on a string
and each knot is cut off as a night passes on, one after another. The invited kith
and kin arrive at the place of celebration when two knots remain on the string.
The Reh festival is celebrated for 6 days. The first day is called
Andropu'.
It is observed by offering prayers so that the festival may pass off smoothly.
The mithuns are brought and tied near the house. The 'Naya' dance
is held during the night. Eyanli is the second day and may be termed as killing day
of animals such as mithuns and buffaloes. The guests are entertained with rice,
meat and rice beer. The third day is called 'Iyili'and on this day heavy feast is
arranged and everybody is entertained. Presents of meal-rice are also supplied
to the neighbouring villagers who fail to come to the festival.
Ilyiromunyi
is the fourth day of the festival. There is not much
feasting on this day. The priest only performs the rituals in favour of
worshiper for bestowing upon him wealth, all round prosperity and for general
well-being. Omen is observed by pouring 'Yu' rice beer into the ears of a pig,
bound and laid on the ground. If the pig does not fidget, it is considered evil
and result in bad crops, epidemic etc otherwise it is good.
The fifth day is called Aru-Go. On this day the remaining food stuff
and other drinks are prepared for the feast and taken with co-villagers. The
sixth day is the concluding day of the festival is known as 'Etoanu'. On this
day the blood smeared seeds are sown in the fields and rice beer is poured at
the trunk of the stump for the goddess of the house hold.
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