MERA HAOCHONGBA & ITS SIGNIFICANCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i7.2024.3968Keywords:
Intangible, Lallup, Mera Haochongba, Ningngol Chakkouba, Shanthil Hanba, TributeAbstract [English]
Manipur is a small state but it has a rich cultural heritage besides its varieties of games and sports both indoors and outdoors. Among the games and sports, polo, which has now become an international game, originated in this erstwhile an independent kingdom. There is also a kind of game called Yubi Lakpi which is similar to Rugby. Boat races are held annually in the presence of the king and his noblemen. As for festivals, hardly a month passes without a festival or two. The festivals include, inter alia, Mera Haochongba, Yaoshang, Ningngol Chakkouba and Lai Haraoba. Mera Haochongba is celebrated on the 10th of Mera, a Manipuri lunar month which falls in September/October. During the reign of King Pamheiba, another festival known as Kwak Tanba was introduced and it was celebrated on the same day and it created some inconvenience. So, the celebration of Mera Haochongba was changed to the 15th of Mera while the newly introduced festival was celebrated on the tenth of the same month. Some scholars say that this festival was introduced during the reign of King Pakhangba (33-154 CE) though there are no written records. However, records clearly prove that this festival had been celebrated during the reign of King Loiyumba (1074 CE – 1122 CE). This festival is related to the tribute of the hill men to the King of Manipur. They brought vegetables grown in the hills and precious or rare collections in their possession. They were accorded warmly in the palace and fed to their heart’s content. This festival aims to have unity and integrity of the then kingdom which has now become an Indian state.
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