ho village life revolves around five main "parab" or festivals. the most important festival, "mage parab", takes place in the late winter month of magha and marks the completion of the agricultural cycle. it is a week-long celebration held to honor singbonga, the creator god. other lesser "bonga" ("deities") are also honored throughout the week. baa parab, the festival of flowers held in mid-spring, celebrates the yearly blossoming of the sacred sal trees. "sohrai or gaumara is the most important agricultural festival, the date of which usually coincides with the nationwide festivities in the fall. it is a village wide celebration with music and dancing held in honor of the cattle used in cultivation. during the ceremonies, the cows are painted with a flour and dye mix, anointed with oil and prayed over after a black chicken is sacrificed to an image of the cattle bonga. baba hermutu is the ceremonial first sowing. the date is set each year in the early spring by the "deuri"or "priest pahan" who also officiates the three-day ceremony by praying and commencing his first sowing of the year. jomnama parab is held in late fall before the first harvest is eaten to thank the spirits for a trouble-free harvest.