Chakaan Gaan-Ngai: The living religious and cultural festival
- Part 1 -

Chaoba Kamson *

Gaan Ngai Celebrations in Imphal on January 21 2008 :: Pix by David ManoherMayum

The Zeliangrong, an indigenous ethnic group of North East belongs to Tibeto- Burman family of Mongoloid stock. The population of this group is found mainly in Tamenglong District of Manipur. They are also found scattered in Manipur Valley of Imphal West District, Imphal East District, Thoubal District, Bishnupur District, Churachandpur District, Senapati District. Outside the state of Manipur, they are found settling in Nagaland in its Peren District, Dimapur District and Kohima District and in Assam in its Haflong District, Cachar District and Heilakandi District. The present article attempts to examine the Gaan-Ngai festival of Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak people of North East.

The Zeliangrong people are rational and they do not easily give up their religion and culture because of profound values and spiritualism in their traditional belief as a result of this there are about thirty thousand devotees of Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak in the three states [2011 census]. They celebrate eight to ten festivals in a year according to agricultural operation.

Among the festivals, Gaan-Ngai is the greatest living festival of Zeliangrongs. It is a religious and cultural festival signifying a distinct identity of Zeliangrong people. The whole culture, religion and social life are interwoven in the performance of Gaan-Ngai. Gaan-Ngai is the backbone of Zeliangrong culture. Culture is a vehicle of religion. So, Gaan-Ngai is a unique cultural festival associated with religion and its philosophy.

Man inherited Gaan-Ngai from Tingpurengsonnang:

According to myth, Tingkao Ragwang, the Supreme God created a god named Tingpurengsonnang who was made the patriarch and his wife by the name Ragonlu the matriarch of a common dormitory of gods, men, animals and all creatures. They spoke a common language. The duty of Tingpurengsonnang was to teach man how to speak and sing song, how to behave a way of life etc. He also taught them the knowledge of cultivation, culture, mode of worship etc.

In course of time, with the development of wisdom and intellect, man started collecting and storing of food grains. Then, man began to celebrate Gaan-Ngai festival merrily with the objective of praising to Tingkao Ragwang for good harvest, oblation of holy wine to Him, performance of religious, cultural and customary activities thus bringing peace and unity among men. As instructed by Tingpurengsonnang, man offered foods and drinks to Tingkao Ragwang invoking Him for longevity of life and prosperity for coming year. They also offered foods, drinks, eatables etc. on the grave as a tribute to the departed soul.

Gaan-Ngai festival Cheers people:

When spring season comes all young trees and plants sprout plentifully, when rainy season comes vegetables grow luxuriantly and flowers bloom abundantly like them, Zeliangrong people also feel happy when much awaited Gaan-Ngai festival approaches. People's mind and their faces look cheerful.

Meaning of Chakan Gaan-Ngai:

Chakan Gaan-Ngai literally means the festival of winter season; [Chakan means season, Gaan means winter and Ngai festival]. This festival is also described as a New Year as it marks the end of the year and beginning of the New Year in Gregorian calendar. In fact, all the festivals of Zeliangrong are based on agricultural operations: pre-operations and post harvest. Therefore, Gaan-Ngai is also described as a post harvest festival as the farmers store enough food grains in their granaries. They are free from any kind of agricultural works and their mind turns towards festivity.

Gaan –Ngai is the Festival of the living and the dead:

Those who died in the previous year are given ritual farewell during the festival. Graves are beautified and decorated in order to offer the rich tributes. Farewell dances are also presented in honour to the departed souls. Feast is served to the community in his /her name. It is believed that those souls are with the living people till the festival is over.

The deceased family offers foods and drinks on the graves both morning and evening before the living people eat or drink. In case the living people eat or drink first, then the soul does not eat nor drink. On the first day of festival [Ngaigangpuinei] male dormitory will give a big pig thigh as a farewell gift to the family. In return the family concerned also presents last gift in the form of steel or wooden almirah or generator etc. in his/her name to the dormitory for lasting memory of the deceased. This is the reason; Gaan-Ngai festival is regarded as for the living and the dead.

Time of celebration:

When farmers store enough food grains in the granaries, they are free from agricultural works, their attention is drawn to festive mood, the sky also looks clear and high, hornbill flies out from its nest, winter season sets in and cold winter wind blows, the spirits of the dead ancestor wait for the coming of Gaan-Ngai, the festival starts celebrating on the 13th day of the Manipur lunar month of Wakching which falls in December/January every year. The festival lasts for five to seven days depending on local variation. This festival is mainly celebrated by the devotees of Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak [TRC] and Heraka living in the states of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

Why is the festival celebrated?

Tingkao Ragwang created man to do some remarkable works in this world. However, he should not always confine to his work only. He should also work hard and at the same time, he needs rest after hard working. He performs rites, cultural activities as thanksgiving to Tingkao Ragwang for rich harvest. People worship and pray to Him for wellbeing in the days to come. Gaan-Ngai is the expression of rejoicing of the community with prayer to Tingkao Ragwang for plenty and welfare.

Zeliangrong people want to take part the celebration of Gaan-Ngai festival for one hundred times however it depends on the mercy of Tingkao Ragwang. Once man died he never revives except rebirth. Flowers once bloomed will one day bloom again in course of time. Though Gaan-Ngai festival once celebrated will recycle endlessly. Man also wants to be immortal like Gaan-Ngai festival.

The purpose of celebration of Gaan-Ngai is to sustain singing of folk songs, to beat drum and dance, to nurture cultural activities, to worship Tingkao Ragwang and other lower realm gods, to shout Hoi, to execute customary duties such as filling up the vacant post of village authority etc. to maintain peace, discipline and to pay rich tributes to those who died in the preceding year.

Gaan-Ngai makes people busy:

Gaan-Ngai festival makes everybody busy. Girls weave in haste for the festival while boys prepare headgear [Pikam] and make and repair traditional drums. Boys and girls are in practice of dance and learn folk songs for singing competition at girls' dormitory. Boys are busy beautifying the village whereas girls also engage in their house decoration. Boys and girls pound wet rice for making rice-beer.

Village elders and married women are also busy in preparation for the festival. Those who are in service and students studying outside the state return home for participation and enjoyment of the festival. So, everybody loves Gaan-Ngai and calls its name Chaakan Gaan-Ngai when Chaakan season comes. How is the Gaan-Ngai so powerful?

Heralding of Gaan-Ngai:

On the first day of Wakching month, a village old man will announce the coming of the festival as well as to make necessary arrangement for the same. The male dormitory will blow horn of cow or mithun inviting all gods for participation of the coming Gaan-Ngai festival. This is locally called Gaan-Shaanmei, heralding of Gaan-Ngai. Boys will dig Daanshaanpung, jumping ground on this day.

On the eve of Gaan-Ngai:

First, a village old man declares to the villagers to collect banana leaf and prepare other eatables for the festival. Early in the morning, at male and girls' dormitories, an act of checking of firewood called Thingtinmei is carried out. Each and every member of male and girls' dormitories will bring a Mailam, wisp [a faggot of firewood] which will be used during the festival.

Thereafter, a Hoi procession [holding a stick of firewood each in their hands] starting from northern gate of the village will march on reaching the male and girls' dormitories some firewood will be given for the dormitories in return the dormitories will bring out Tam [Chutney of vegetables] and an earthen jar of rice-beer [Zoulai].

It is followed by oblation of holy wine to Tingkao Ragwang. A little quantity of Tam and a glass of rice-beer [Zoungao/Joudui] will be given to the dormitories as a courtesy. Towards evening, boys will collect a ginger and an egg from every household of the village for ritual offering to northern and southern presiding deities.

Exhortation:

The objective of Thing-Ngun Kadimei is to teach young boys to obey what the elders say, keep discipline among themselves and to execute the works assigned to them. Anyone who disobeys the orders of the elders will be punished by beating a whip as per custom. If the young boys make a request to senior youth [Gaanpi] by producing a bottle of wine as fine not to beat them with an assurance that they will certainly accomplish the works. If their assurance is quite satisfied then they may be exempted from this punishment. This wine is known as Jamlui Zou. The girl dormitory also will follow the same rule during the festival.

The First Day/Beginning of the Festival:

The first day of the festival is called Ngaigangmei. A small hour in the morning, a ritual will be performed at the abode of northern and southern village deities by an old man offering an egg and a piece of ginger invoking them not to happen any kind of untoward incidents during the festival. The old man after returning to male dormitory will offer holy wine to Tingkao Ragwang and lower realm gods. Thereafter, boys will beat drum which means starting of Gaan-Ngai festival.

Hymns of Gucheng Phaimei:

"Oh! Kaipi Bambu, northern presiding deity, I [priest] on behalf of the village offer to you a golden ginger and a good egg not to cause any disturbances, injuries etc. in the village during the festival. Please prevent and protect us from evils".

Production of fresh fire:

According to myth, sacred fire was first produced at Zoulumei ceremonial function of Amhang, a culture hero. In continuation of this practice, the new fire is produced by the wood and bamboos friction on the first day of the festival at the village jumping ground or several teams of youth visit the individual families to produce the new fire.

This ritual is called Mailapmei. The villagers are informed by an elder to collect the new fire for cooking purposes. Accordingly, the villagers will come and collect the same. It is believed that man eats the foods cooked with the new fire there will be a long life and prosperity of the coming year. It also indicates that man will be strong as fire.

To be continued....