Designer Jenjum Gadi Weaves the Mopin Festival of Arunachal Pradesh on a Piece of Cloth!

A land where the brightness arrives first, the canvas of cultural backdrop reflects innocence, and art flourishes in its most natural form in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. These surreal elements work in cohesion with each other to form the intricate landscape where festivals are celebrated in the most colourful way, and threads are woven in the most sophisticated manner. Combining both a fine thread and a vibrant festival, Jenjum Gadi, a designer apparel brand, created something unique. They created a menswear collection inspired by the Mopin festival of Arunachal Pradesh. Want to know about the collection and the festival? Let's dive in with the founder of Jenjum Gadi!

Mopin Festival 

Mopin is a vibrant harvest festival celebrated by the Galo tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, typically in April, to thank the goddess Mopin Ane for a good harvest and to seek blessings for prosperity and well-being. The festival is celebrated with the rhythms of traditional dance ponu and popir, and folk music. The tribe also indulges in a feast where rice beer is served, and Mithun (a domesticated bovine) is sacrificed. The meat is being consumed, and the animal's ownership signifies social status and wealth for the people of this community. Before starting the celebrations, people apply rice paste on each other's faces to mark the festivities. 

An Amalgamation of Culture and Clothing 

Another integral part of Mopin is the Mopin dress, locally known as jasi korey. Inspired by attire, Jenjum Gadi, a well-known fashion designer belonging to the Galo tribe, launched a special collection. The 'Jenjum Gadi (Mopin) Collection' is an ode to the harvest festival by the designer. Traditionally, the attire worn during the festival is rich with geometric patterns in black and white, symbolising the community’s cultural heritage. “However, in a bold reinterpretation, I have reversed this palette, creating garments that are predominantly black with intricate white patterns,” says the designer. “You will see a pattern of small and big lines in the dress, where the small lines represent a daughter and the big lines represent a mother, signifying their relationship, good reproduction and in this case, a better harvest to grow after the festival, adds Jenjum.”

There’s a lot of thought that goes behind this cultural display, which is reflected in Jenjum Gadi’s collection as well. The designer has used the silk fabric from Assam to symbolise authenticity, and the designs are hand-embroidered to give it a fine touch. “Each piece is a tribute to my people back there in Arunachal Pradesh and a celebration of harvest in my home town,” says Gadi. 

Integrations like these are rare, specifically when they happen in the purest of forms. Jenjum, through his label, has tried to keep the traditional festival of his motherland alive by reflecting its prints on a piece of fabric for the world to wear with pride. “As a native of Arunachal Pradesh, I consciously or unconsciously find an imprint of my people, place and culture in designs I make, and that is what makes my label special for me,” Jenjum says on a culminating note.