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Mopin: the Galo spring festival in Aalo
White rice powder on every face, and dancers in white greeting spring
Mopin is the farming and new-year festival of the Galo people of Arunachal Pradesh, kept in West and East Siang districts, with the main shared celebration in Aalo (also written Along), the headquarters of West Siang. Its date does not move: 5 April 2027. Everyone present is blessed with white rice flour, and women in white dance the Popir. Arunachal Pradesh needs a permit from every visitor from outside the state: an Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Indian citizens, a Protected Area Permit (PAP) for foreigners.
The date is fixed; the Arunachal Pradesh holiday list, issued in August or September of the previous year, carries it, and the Central Mopin Celebration Committee in Aalo announces the programme.
The legend
Mopin is the farming festival of the Galo people, held in the Galo months of Lumi and Luki (March–April), when the Galo new year begins.
The festival's main goddess is Mopin Ane, giver of fertility and prosperity; its rites drive away evil and call in peace and plenty.
Since 1966 a committee has held a shared celebration in Aalo, which marked its golden jubilee in 2016.
Customs
Ette rice powder
People smear each other's faces with ette rice flour: rice is the Galo staple, and the gesture stands for unity, purity and love.
Popir dance
Women dressed in white perform the Popir dance in synchronised steps.
What Mopin is
Mopin falls in the Galo months of Lumi and Luki, roughly March and April, when the Galo new year begins. It is a farming festival: its main goddess is Mopin Ane, giver of fertility and prosperity, and its rites are meant to drive away evil and call in peace and plenty for every household.
The sign of the festival is ette, rice flour that people smear on each other's faces. Rice is the Galo staple, and the gesture stands for unity, purity and love; at the celebration it is given to everyone present. Women dressed in white perform the Popir dance in synchronised steps.
By the encyclopedic account, rice beer (apong, also called poka) is shared in bamboo cups, and the central rite is the sacrifice of a mithun, the semi-domestic bovine of the north-east, whose blood is taken home as a blessing. Preparations start a few days before the main day, and the festival closes with a visit to the paddy fields.
Since 1966 a committee has held a shared celebration in Aalo; it marked its golden jubilee in 2016. The Central Mopin Celebration Committee in Aalo announces the programme.
Date and programme
Mopin is kept on the Gregorian calendar, so its date is the same every year: 5 April 2027. It is on the Arunachal Pradesh holiday list, and the Aalo committee publishes the programme closer to the day. To see village preparations as well, arrive a few days earlier.
Permits: ILP for Indians, PAP for foreigners
Aalo (Along) is one of Arunachal Pradesh's protected areas, so the permit comes before tickets and rooms.
- Indian citizens: the eILP
Apply online on the state's eILP portal, eilp.arunachal.gov.in; manual permits are no longer issued. The Tourist eILP covers a stay of up to 14 days; for longer, apply for a provisional ILP. You upload a recent photo and an ID such as a passport, driving licence, ration card, voter ID or Aadhaar. The fee is about ₹100 per person. Children under 14 do not need their own eILP but must travel with an adult.
- NRIs and OCI or PIO card holders
By the Arunachal Pradesh Police, Indians living abroad for more than six months and OCI or PIO card holders cannot get an ILP and apply for the Protected Area Permit instead, like foreign nationals.
- Foreign nationals: the PAP
Every foreigner needs a Protected Area Permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh, in addition to the Indian visa. Arunachal Pradesh Tourism says PAP applications go through an approved local tour operator only, and that foreign tourists pay a royalty of USD 30 per head to the state. Indian missions say PAPs are issued electronically through the e-FRRO portal, with no paper permit; the state's eILP portal also has an ePAP section, for groups of two to five applicants. Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan, and foreign nationals of Pakistani origin, get a permit only with the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- When to apply
Indian embassies advise applying at least 15 days ahead if already in India and having approvals 30 days before the visit; the FCDO says three months before arrival and warns that permit rules can change at any time. Official pages differ on group size and validity (the police page still says groups of four and 10 days, the ePAP page two to five people and up to 30 days), so ask your tour operator for the current terms before you pay.
Being a guest at Mopin
The festival is open to visitors, but it is a community's religious and farming rite, not a staged show.
- Accept the rice flour — The ette smear is a blessing given to everyone present, visitors included.
- Ask before photographing rites — Follow the organisers and the priests on where you may stand and what you may photograph, especially during the sacrifice and the prayers.
- Carry your permit — Keep the eILP or PAP and the ID you applied with on you for the whole trip, not just at the gate.
Planning the trip
April is also the best month for the roads of central Arunachal, which makes Mopin a good anchor for a longer trip through West Siang. Solung, the Adi farming festival, falls in early September. Sangken, the new year of the Khamti and other Tai communities, is in mid-April, close to Mopin but in another part of the state.
The FCDO does not advise against travel to Arunachal Pradesh; its India advice notes that parts of the north and north-east lie on highly active fault zones. General advice for travellers in India is in Is India safe.
FAQ
When is Mopin?
Mopin falls on the same Gregorian date every year: 5 April 2027. It is on the Arunachal Pradesh holiday list, and the committee in Aalo announces the programme.
Which tribe celebrates Mopin?
The Galo people of Arunachal Pradesh, in West and East Siang districts. It marks the Galo new year.
Which dance is performed during Mopin?
The Popir, danced in synchronised steps by women dressed in white.
Why do people put white powder on faces at Mopin?
It is ette, rice flour. Rice is the Galo staple, and smearing it on each other's faces stands for unity, purity and love.
Do I need a permit to attend Mopin in Aalo?
Yes. Indian citizens from outside the state need an Inner Line Permit, applied for online on eilp.arunachal.gov.in. Foreign nationals, and NRIs and OCI holders, need a Protected Area Permit, applied for through an approved tour operator and the e-FRRO portal.
Who is Mopin Ane?
The main goddess of the festival, giver of fertility and prosperity. The rites in her honour drive away evil and call in peace and plenty.
Sources (14)
- Mopin (Wikipedia)
- East Siang district: culture and heritage
- Government of Arunachal Pradesh: holiday notification
- Government of Arunachal Pradesh: eILP portal
- eILP portal: ILP information, fees and validity
- Arunachal Pradesh Tourism: entry formalities (ILP and PAP)
- Arunachal Pradesh Police: Inner Line Permit and Protected Area Permit
- Embassy of India: issuance of PAP/RAP through the e-FRRO portal
- FCDO: India entry requirements (access permits)
- FCDO: India warnings and insurance
- eILP portal: ePAP information
- FCDO: India safety and security (earthquakes)
- Solung (Wikipedia)
- Sangken (Wikipedia)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.