Festivals in Manipur

Cheiraoba Festival

Introduction To Cheiraoba Festival On the lap of Himalaya lies a picturesque state named Manipur. This state is famous for its scenic beauty, silent hills and green vegetation. The state is an isolated land from the main land yet it bears a rich heritage and culture. Manipur , the small state in north eastern part of India is the store house natural resources. The solitary hills of Himalaya, the deep gorge and the innocent people make a perfect combination as a tourist spot. Tourists visiting Manipur will surely get impressed with their traditional customs and heritage which still shows their individuality and uniqueness.

Description of Cheiraoba Festival Manipur, the small hilly state with a unique customs attracts tourist. Cheiraoba Festival is the celebration of New Year festival in Manipur. This is a sacred festival of Manipur when all the people welcome the new year grandly. The locals clean their houses and decorate them. The local deity is worshipped and relatives visit one another’s place. Exchange of gifts and ideas take place. This festival is only celebrated by Hindus but Muslims of Manipur too take part and make the occasion a grand one. On the very day the local climb the nearest hill tops which signifies the rise of human civilization in greater heights in every sphere.

Time For Celebration of Cheiraoba Festival Cheiraoba Festival takes place in the month of April. The new year is received with great ideas and traditional customs. The society of Manipur is not at all open but tourist visit the state to experience the unique tradition that exists in the society and customs.

Chumpha Festival

Introduction to Chumpha Festival in Manipur Manipur, the land of merriment, is always busy with one festival or the other throughout the year. Different cultures and races in Manipur have different festivals to celebrate and each is rejoiced with an equal passion and zeal. It is the Tanghul Nagas of Manipur who celebrate the Chumpha Festival, one of their most popular and fêted festivals. The Chumpha Festival in Manipur is a harvest festival and is held with a lot of rejoicing and merriment.

Description of Chumpha Festival in Manipur It is every year after the harvest in December that the Tanghul Nagas celebrate the Chumpha Festival in Manipur. During the last three days of the Chumpha Festival, there are social gatherings that are held between friends and families and everyone rejoices and has a great time. The women have a special and a significant role to play during the Chumpha Festival in Manipur. This is in contrast to the other festivals here where women have the least participation. The end of the Chumpha Festival in Manipur is marked by a procession that is carried out within the village premises.

Time for celebrating Chumpha Festival in Manipur The Chumpha Festival in Manipur is celebrated in the end of the year, in the month of December. It takes place for seven days after the harvest season. Indianholiday.com offers online information about the Chumpha Festival in Manipur. For further information, please fill up the details below.

Heikru Hitongba

Introduction to Heikru Hitongba The Heikru Hitongba in Manipur is the annual function that takes place on the canal in the Bijoy Govinda area on eleventh Langban. It is the boat race in Manipur that is closely related to the Govindajee Temple. The deities from the temple and the palace are made to supervise the race. This festival in Manipur is thus a festival of joy with a little religious significance and is widely celebrated every year with a lot of passion.

Description of Heikru Hitongba The Heikru Hitongba Festival in Manipur is celebrated with a boat race that takes place on the canal. Narrow long boats are used for the race which accommodates a large number of rowers. The race takes place on a 16 meter wide canal in Manipur. Before the beginning of the boat race, the idol of Shri Vishnu is installed who is supposed to preside over the function of Heikru Hitongba. The Brahmins give offerings of gold and silver before the presiding deities and idols. The spirits of the crew men are high during the Heikry Hitongba festival and each boat sailed by a number of rowers try their best to overthrow the other boat with a lot of vigor.

Time for celebrating Heikru Hitongba The month of September is the time for celebrating the Heikru Hitongba.

Kut Festival

Introduction to Kut Festival Manipur is a land of festivities, fun and frolic which goes on throughout the year. Manipur is always bustling with the cycle of numerous festivals. The festivals of Manipur project their cultural, social and religious aspirations. These festivals are perfect for removing the monotony of life and help the people lead a fuller and better life. The Hindus residing in Manipur celebrate New Year Day in the second week of April.

Description of Kut Festival The Kut Festival is an Autumn festival of the different tribes of Kuki-Chin-Mizo groups of people in Manipur. The festival has been variously described at different places amongst different tribes as Chavang-Kut or Khodou. It is a happy occasion for the villagers whose stock of food is plentiful after a year of tremendous hard labour. The Kut Festival is a thanks giving festival which includes songs and dances along with marry making. The festival is observed every year in the honor of the giver of an abundant harvest. Similar to the Kut Festival, a harvest season festival is observed every year in the state of Punjab. This festival is known as Baisakhi celebrated on the first day of Baisakh every year. This time of the year the whole harvest is gathered and the farmer jubilates in the accomplishment of his hard work throughout the year. The fair and festival of Baisakhi is an expression of prosperity and hence is enjoyed along with singing and dancing.

Time of Celebration of Kut Festival The Kut Festival is celebrated in Manipur every year on the 1st of November.

Ningol Chakouba Festival

Introduction to Ningol Chakouba Festival Festival Manipur is a land of merriment, fun and caper which goes on throughout the year. Manipur is always bustling with the series of numerous festivals. The festivals of Manipur project their cultural, social and religious ambitions. The Ningol Chakouba Festival is a very popular social festival of the Meiteis or the Vaishnavites where the married women (Ningol) are invited (Chakouba) to their parent’s house.

Description of Ningol Chakouba Festival The Ningol Chakouba Festival is an outstanding social festival of the Meiteis, when the married women of the family, who were married off to distant places, come to their parental house along with their children and is served with a lavish and extensive meal to enjoy. This festival is a form of a family get-together in order to revive the family affection. In the present times this festival is observed by the Pangals or the Manipuri Muslims to some extent.

Time of Celebration of Ningol Chakouba Festival The Ningol Chakouba Festival is celebrated on the second day of the New Moon in the Manipuri month of Hiyangei which is November.

Yaoshang Festival

One of the premier festivals of Manipur, Yaoshang is celebrated is celebrated on the full moon day of Phalguna and is one of the major festivals of this northeastern state. Indian Holiday offers to give you online information on Yaoshang Festival in Manipur, India. Yaoshang Festival is celebrated for five days and commences from the full moon day of Phalguna (February/march). Main highlight of the festival is the Thabal Chongba dance. Thabal Chongba is a Manipuri folk dance where boys and girls form a circle and hold hands and sing and dance. Donations are collected from house to house and the money collected is spent on parties and merry making. So if you are planning a trip to Manipur in the month of February, don’t forget to be a part of the Yaoshang festival and carry home the memories you will cherish all your lives.

Christmas Festival

Introduction to Christmas Festival in Manipur Christmas Festival in Manipur There is hardly any place in the world where Christmas is not celebrated, and the far North Eastern part of India is also no exception. There are a significant number of Christians in Manipur, as there are other religious groups. Christmas Festival in Manipur is their greatest and most important festival. Christmas in Manipur is celebrated with merriment and gaiety and in some affluent areas, the celebrations continue for almost a week. A special community of people in Manipur who comprises of the Kukis and the Nagas are all Christians. It is not only the Christians, but Christmas in Manipur is celebrated by almost all groups of people, who take part in this festive zeal.

Description of Christmas Festival in Manipur Christmas in Manipur is the time to rejoice and the Christians of Manipur know very well how to do it. The religious and solemn part of the celebrations comprises of reading Gospel and Bible, singing Christmas carols and hymns, attending lectures on Christ and other related topics. Other than that, there is jubilation through feasts, eating, and get togethers of families and friends as well as other joyful ways of celebrations. There are Christmas trees that are decorated with stars and lights and the houses of the Christians are made to look brighter with colorful decorations. Though Christmas is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India, the festive look is almost the same everywhere. The shops and the markets are also decorated. The festive fever during Christmas in Manipur continues almost till the ushering of the New Year on 1st of January.

Time for celebrating Christmas Festival in Manipur Christmas Festival in Manipur is celebrated for 2 days, on 24th and 25th of December. Christmas Eve falls on the 24th of December while the main Christmas celebrations take place on 25th. There are some well-off parts of Manipur where the Christmas celebrations continue for almost a week.

Gang Ngai Festival

Introduction to Gang Ngai Festival in Manipur Manipur, in the northeast part of India, is the home to a complex web of tribal groups which comprises of as many as 29 different major tribes. The different groups of Nagas in Manipur celebrate their culture and customs through different festivals. These festivals give the participating people a chance to be aware of the customs and religions of the diverse cultured sects of Manipur. The Gang-Ngai Festival in Manipur is a significant festival of the Kabui Nagas. All year through, the Kabui Nagas, a particular tribal group of Manipur, wait for this opportunity to rejoice their lifestyle, their culture and express their religion. They do it through the Gang-Ngai Festival, with music, dance, feast and five days of full extravaganza.

Description of Gang Ngai Festival in Manipur The festival of gang-Ngai starts with the omen taking ceremony. During the fist day of this five day festival, the Kabui Nagas honor their ancestors through sacred rituals. The first day is followed by four days of incessant celebrations. There are community feasts, various programs of music and dance performances that keep the audience mesmerized for a long time. It is through this festival of Gang-Ngai in Manipur that the Kabui Nagas get a chance to conserve and safeguard their religion. The streets full of men and women dancing in their colorful traditional attires, to the tunes of melodious ethic instruments, surrounded by enthusiastic audiences, presents a pretty sight in Manipur. There is also an exchange of gifts between friends and family during the Gang-Ngai Festival in Manipur.

Time for celebrating Gang Ngai Festival in Manipur The Gang-Ngai Festival in Manipur is celebrated in the month of Wakching which generally falls on the months of December of January. The celebrations continue for five days.

Kang Festival

Introduction to Kang Festival There is no end to the festive season in Manipur and celebrations, then and there, with a lot of merriment and rejoicing is a part and parcel of the life of every one living in and traveling to Manipur. From the festivals in Manipur, the Kang Festival in Manipur deserves a special mention as it is one of the most important festivals of the Hindus living in Manipur. This is the ‘Rathayatra’of Manipur which mainly takes place in the Govindajee Temple.

Description of Kang Festival The Hindu Festival of Rata Jatra is celebrated in Manipur as the Kang Festival. During the Kang festival, Lord Jagannath leaves his abode at the temple and travels in a car which is pulled by the devotees and the pilgrims. This car in which the Lord travels is called ‘Kang’ in Manipur. Pulling the ‘Kang’ of the Lord is considered to be of great honor and respect and thus the devotees and pilgrims compete with each other for the opportunity. The procession is accompanied with music of bells, gongs, drums,nahal and conch. There are offerings of barti,(which are short cotton wrapped cotton balls soaked in ghee), flowers and fruits which are arranged at the different localities. The devotees perform Kirtan ‘Khubakisei’ and there are community feasts arranged in the evenings. The celebrations for the Kang festival continue for 10 days with a lot of enthusiasm and fervor.

Time for celebrating Kang Festival The Kang Festival in Manipur is celebrated for a span of 10 days during the month of July.

Lai-Haroba Festival Celebrated in the month of May, Lai-Haroba is an important festival of Manipur celebrated to revere the local deities such as Umang Thai. Indian Holiday offers to give you online information on Lai-Haroba festival, Manipur, India. The festival of Lai-Haroba is characterized by the worship of traditional deities and ancestors. According to the legends, in the beginning Guru Sidaba was the greatest lord who lived in dark vacuum. Once the room in which he lived got illuminated with different colors of rainbow, motivating him to create the world. To accomplish this mission he sent, Atiya Guru Sidaba with a creature who maneuvered a wiry network in which human life was to be integrated. Atiya Guru decided to harden the framework and approached Sidaba Guru for the purpose. Sidaba provided him some dirt for his navel and nine men from the right side and seven women from the left side to serve Atiya Guru. Atiya Guru started the work again and took the help of these men and women. The first two attempts of Atiya Guru were frustrated by Harba.Guru Sidaba sent the goddess of lightening to the rescue of Atiya Guru who enslaved Harba. Atiya Guru then solidified the framework and was made suitable for human life. To celebrate the whole process, Lai Haroba festival is observed every year and is an important Manipuri festival. Lai Haroba therefore celebrate the process of creation and twelve events display the phases of creation. The festival is marked by songs and dance performances and is celebrated in the month of April and May.

Ramjan ID

Introduction to Ramjan ID in Manipur A number of festivals and celebrations mark the calendar in Manipur and keep the festive spirit high. Due to a large number of people from different cultures living side by side in Manipur, all the festivals are celebrated with vivacity and enthusiasm. The Muslims also are no exception and like anywhere in the world, the Ramjan Id in Manipur is also celebrated with vigor and fervor. Ramjan is celebrated by the Muslim population anywhere in the world, in the ninth month of the Hijri. Ramjan ID in Manipur is the biggest and the most popular of the festivals of the Muslims there (Meitei Pangal).

Description of Ramjan ID in Manipur Ramjan has been celebrated by Muslims since the time of Prophet Mohammed. During this festival of Ramjan Id in Manipur, the Muslims do not eat any food, drink or indulge in any activities such as smoking, from pre dawn to the time the sun sets. The whole month is spent on constant prayers till the night the new moon comes up. It is then, on the second day of the shawwl during the Ramjan ID that the month long fast is broken. The day the fast is broken is called the Id-Ul-Fitre. This day of joyous communion is celebrated with big delicious feasts, exchange of greetings between the Muslims and rejoicing. All the Muslims in Manipur go to the mosques on this day to offer prayers and enjoy feasts. Ramjan Id in Manipur is celebrated with a lot of passion and zeal by the Muslims residing in Manipur.

Time for celebrating Ramjan ID in Manipur The Ramjan Id takes place for a whole month before the ID-Ul-Fitre, which falls on the new moon day of the lunar month of Shawwl. It is the celebrations of Id-Ul-Fitre that marks the end of the Ramjan Id.