| FAIR AND FESTIVALS
OF MANIPUR |
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The Festivals
The various festivals of Manipur
are Ningol Chakouba, Yaoshang (Holi),
Ramjan ID, Kut, Gan-ngai, Chumpha,
Christmas, Cheiraoba, Kang and Heikru
Hitongba. Most of these festivals
are usually celebrated on the basis
of lunar calendar. Almost every festival
celebrated in other states is observed
here and it makes Manipur a mini
metropolis.
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Ningol Chakouba
Time:November
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A
social festival of the Meiteis (the
Vaishnavites) where the women (Ningol)
are invited (Chakouba) to a feast at
their parental house along with their
children. It is the festival that binds
and revives the family relations between
the girls married away and the parents.
Nowadays other communities had also
started celebrating the festivals.
It is held every year during the month
of November. |
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Yaoshang (Holi)
Time:February/March |
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A riot of
colours and water and the various chanting
of the devotees of Lord Krishna is
what you will come across during this
festival. Another feature of this premiere
festival is the Thabal Chongba (Dancing
in the Moonlight). The boys from various
places will come to the site of the
festival and dance with the girls by
holding on to their hands and moving
in circles. It is celebrated for five
days starting from the full moon of
Phalguna (February/March).
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Christmas
Time:
December
Another community comprising of the
Kukis and the Nagas in Manipur are
all Christians and celebrate Christmas
for two days with prayers, reading
of gospels, eating, singing of hymns,
lectures on Christ, sports etc. It
is usually observed on December 24
and 25.
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Ramjan
ID
The Manipuri Muslims observed this
festival in the very spirits of joy
and festivities as in other Muslim
world. During this month the Muslims
practice self denial by taking a
fast, abstaining from smoke and drink
from pre-dawn till sunset. After
the second day of shawwal, when the
new moon is visible they break fast
which is also popularly known as
Id-Ul-Fitre. They offer prayers at
the mosques, have delicious dishes,
exchange greetings and call on the
friends and relatives. Ramjan is
the ninth month of the Hijri year. |
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Cheiraoba
(New Year of Manipur)
Time: April
The people of Manipur clean and decorate
their houses and make a sumptuous
variety of dishes to feast upon after
offering the food to the deity on
this day. After the feast, as a part
of the rituals, people climb the
nearest hill tops in the belief that
it would excel them to greater heights
in their worldly life. It is observed
during the month of April |
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INTER
NIC.
