| It is a remarkable social festival of the
Meiteis. Married women of the family who were
married to distant places come to the parental
house along with her children and enjoy sumptuous
feast. It is a form of family rejoinder to revive
familial affection. The festival is also observed
by the Pangals (Manipuri Muslims) to a certain
extent now-a-days. It is observed on the second
day of the new moon in the Manipuri month of
Hiyangei(November). |
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| Celebrated for five days commencing from the
full moon day of Phalguna (february/March),
Yaoshang is the premier festival of Manipur. The
Thabal Chongba - a kind of Manipuri folk dance,
where boys and girls hold hands and sing and
dance in a circle, is particularly associated
with this festival. Boys and girls and old women
collect donations from house to house and the
money so collected is spent in a number of
parties and feast. Indeed, Yaosang to Manipur is
what Durga Puja is to Bengal, Diwali in north
India and Bihu to Assam. |
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| Ramjan Id is the most popular festival of the
Manipuri Muslims (Meitei Pangal) in Manipur and
is observed in the usual spirits of joy and
festivities as in other Muslim world Ramjan is
the ninth month of Hijri year since the time of
prophet Mohammed and during this month the
Muslims practice seld denial ny avoiding any
food, drink and smoke from pre-dawn till sunset.
During this month is spent on prayers. After the
month on the second day of shawwal, when the new
moon is visible they break fast and this fast
breaking day is called Id-Ul-Fitre. On this day,
they go to the mosques to offer prayers and take
delicious dishes, exchange greetings and call on
the friends and relatives. |
|
| It is an autumn festival of the different
tribes of Kuki-Chin-Mizo groups of Manipur. The
festival has been variously described at
different places amongst different tribes as
Chavang-Kut or Khodou etc. It is a happy occasion
for the villagers whose food stock is boundiful
after a year of hard labour. The festival is a
thanks giving featsts with songs and dances in
merriment and joviality for all, in honour of the
giver of an abundant harvest, it is observed on
the 1st of November every year. |
|
| Celebrated for five days in the month of
Wakching (December/Janaury) GANG-NGAI is an
important festival of the Kabui Nagas. The
festival opens with the omen taking ceremony on
the first day and the rest of the days are
associated with common feast, dances of old men
and women and of boys and girls, presentation of
farewell gifts etc. For 1997, it starts from
Janaury 21. |
|
| Celebrated for seven days in the month of
December, the Chumpha festival is a great
festival of the Tanghul Nagas. The festival is
held after harvest. The last three days are
devoted to social gatherings and rejoicing.
Unlike other festivals women play a special role
in the festival. The concluding part of the
festival ends with a provession within the
village. |
|
| The Christmas is the greatest festival of all
the Christains of Manipur, observed for two days
on December 24 and 25. Prayers, reading of
Gospels, eating, singing of hymns, lectures on
Christ, sports etc., form the major part of the
festival. In some villages where the inhabitants
are well-off, the celebration continues till
Janaury 1 on which the New Years day is also
observed. |
|
| During the festival, people clean and
decorate their houses and prepare special festive
dishes which are first offered to various
deities. Celebrated during the month of April, a
part of the ritual entails villagers climbing the
nearest hill tops in belief that it will enable
them to rise to greater heights in their worldly
life. The Pangals (Manipuri Muslims) also observe
it. |
|
| One of the greatest festivals of the Hindus
of Manipur, the festival is celebrated for ten
days(July). Lord Jagannath leaves his temple in a
car known as 'Kang' in Manipur pulled by pilgrims
who vie with one another for this honour. |
|
| Celebrated in the month of September, a
festival of joy, with little religious
significance along a 16 metre wide boat. Long
narrow boats are used to accommodate a large
number of rowers. Idol of Shri Bishnu is
installed before the commencement of the race. |
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