Source: The Sangai Express
Lanka (Nagaon), September 20:
Love for ones� own culture and tradition, a priceless legacy left behind by the forefathers and handed down through the generations, is ingrained in the hearts of the people.
This seems to be all the more evident from the life-styles and social mores of the Manipuris (Meeteis) people who still retain the age-old customary practices of their forefathers, despite having settled elsewhere far beyond the nine-mountain ranges that surround the State.
The pockets of Meitei colonies in Assam are no exception to this, with the people keeping alive the culture and tradition of their forefathers close to their hearts.
It is heartening to learn that the Meiteis settled in Pipal Pukhuri area, near Lanka Town under Nagaon district of Assam have been observing the Lai-Haraoba festival for the last many years.
The annual Lai-Haraoba of Lainingthou Khoriphaba , the main Umang Lai (deity) being worship by the people is completing 50 years next year.
The Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee has already started making preparation for the grand event.
�We are thinking of sending Committee members to Imphal to invite some prominent Manipuri personalities for the occasion�, M Pardip, a member of the Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee said.
The temple of the Lainingthou Khoriphaba at Pipal Pukhuri No.I with a mandap/ hall in front, however, presented a semblance of a sacred groove of the Umang Lai.
There is much that is needed to be done.
It is informed that some years back, the temple of the Khoriphaba was roofed with hey.
But on seeing the pitiable condition of the temple, the then Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Debesh Chakraborty donated Rs 10,000 and the new concrete-mortar temple was constructed on October 7, 1993.Subsequently the local Panchayat also sanctioned Rs 1 lakhs during 2002-03 for of a mandop or hall.
Since then, the devotees have been able to perform the annual ritual of Lai-Haraoba with ease, the local people said.
The Lai-Haraoba of Lainingthou Khoriphaba was celebrated every year for seven consecutive days during Kalen-Inga season and it attracted not only the Meiteis settling in Pipal Pukhuri area but also from the neighbouring Meitei settlements like Lanka Paona Leikai, Lachi Nagar, Pandrogaon, Rajbari apart from a large people belonging to other communities.