India, Jan. 2 -- Dong, India's easternmost village in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district, welcomed the first sunrise of 2026 on Thursday with "Alo Prabhat: Dance of the Dawn," a cultural performance rooted in the traditions of the indigenous Meyor and Mishmi communities.

The event formed part of the inaugural Sunrise Festival, organised by the Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Department, which began on December 29, 2025, and will conclude on January 2. Dong, the first human settlement in India to receive sunlight each day, served as the venue for the celebrations.

Organisers said "Dance of the Dawn" combined chants, songs, and rhythms created on traditional musical instruments with contemporary dance and poetry to celebrate the sun's radiance ...