Golden Wedding Anniversary celebrated
- An eye opener for the new generation -

Rongreisek Yangsorang *

A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary in the case of a person (e.g. wedding ceremony, length of time a monarch has reigned as king or queen) or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event (e.g. the founding of university) in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

But the 60th anniversary of the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II to the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip was celebrated as Golden and Diamond Jubilee as well.

Whatever it is, such a rare event took place on the 11th March, 2008 at Longa Koireng on the national highway 53 in Senapati District of Manipur, when in a simple but an impressive service, the golden wedding anniversary of Pastor MK. Thuimi and his better-half MK. Zingthanla who were married at Tungou, situated to the west of Ukhrul in 1958 was celebrated with the presence of pastors of the neighbouring churches and their near ones from different far-off places including the vice-principal of Manipur Theological College, Kangpokpi.

The septuagenarian returned to Longa Koireng in 2006 to become its pastor after nearly thirty-years of his first visit to revive failing Christian spirits and regenerate the fallen church of the village in 1977.

When he was asked how the marriage at Tungou was celebrated and what it certainly looked like in 1958, compared to that of the modern days with brides in high-heeled shoes and white silk-gowns and bride-grooms in two or three-piece-suits and shiny neckties on their marriage days, he said, "On that day I wore a green coat which I procured for rupees fifty only from Imphal for the occasion.

It was to give an impression that I was impeccably dressed for the marriage ceremony. A mike was borrowed from Sirarakhong Baptist Church, and it was used for the first time in the village to add something all new to the height of the ceremony. The mike attracted a large number of villagers for a mammoth gathering. Two buffaloes and one pig were killed for the marriage feast to make it a great event of the hill side in all its glory at that point of time.

The Golden Jubilee held this time was administered by Rev. Ngamlei Zimik, Executive Secretary of the Sadar Baptist Association. The Reverend, while unveiling the portable marble-monument in memory of a happy married life of fifty years of Pastor MK. Thuimi and Mrs. MK. Zingthanla, exhorted the multitude (regardless of denominations) that assembled at the church compound for endurable marriage.

Ushering in a reverential bow, he was emphatic of Christian values and expressed his admiration for the pastor for all he had achieved during the last 50 years of his successful career after having served the association in various capacities. When his turn came, the pastor being held in high regard said he was very glad and deeply moved by the overwhelming response of the members of the church to the celebration of the anniversary. He expressed his indebtedness to them and acknowledged the unstinting help from the church to love—that enhances all things and never fails.

His eldest son MK. Mashangam, a resident of Kohima paid an affectionate tribute to his parents for their golden jubilee, and felt proud of them; proud and grateful for everything they had done for him and the other siblings, embodying something vital in their lives. It was for a proud son basking in his parents' reflected glory. He recalled extreme degree of miseries and sufferings his parents met in bringing them up that evoked a tearful moment.

His appreciation of the church members for their co-operation to the success of the celebration of the golden wedding anniversary of his parents summed up the mood of the audience in the church. His words of thanks sparked joys in their hearts, bringing a day of celebration to a spectacular close with the pastor doing them the honour of dining with him in a grand feast with beef and pork as the main dishes.

Then, what a Royal Wedding is, and its Anniversary: The greatest wedding ceremony of extravagant taste in the world was that Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark) on November 20, 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London.

At their wedding, they had eight brides-maid and two kitted page boys. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Fisher and the Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett.

The 2000 guests at the wedding included many royals. After the wedding, a lunch was held in the Ball-room at Buckingham Palace. Favours for the guests were individuals, posies of myrtle (a bunch of flowers and bluish black berries) and white Balmoral heather (round hat with ribbon attached with a low wild plant).

The nine-foot high, four-tier wedding cake was made with ingredients given by Australian Girl Guides. The wedding cake was cut using The Duke's sword. After the wedding, pieces of cake were given to school children and institutions. The couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from around the world and around 10,000 telegrams of congratulations.

Elizabeth wore her grandmother's tiara (a small crown decorated with precious stones) and a beautifully designed wedding dress. The dress was made of ivory silk, decorated with pearls arranged as white roses of York, entwined with ears of corn embroidered in crystal.

Elizabeth wore an "ensemble of a dress and matching coat in mist-blue with mushroom-coloured assessories". Her wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David's mine near Dolgellau.

The day after their wedding, Elizabeth's bouquet was laid on the grave of the unknown Warrior at the Abbey. Philip and Elizabeth honeymooned at Broadlands in Hampshire and at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate. In order to be able to purchase the material for her wedding dress, Elizabeth saved up her ration cards.

The Queen and the Duke celebrated their Silver Jubilee in 1972. They further made history with the celebration of their Diamond Wedding Anniversary on November 20, 2007 amidst pomp and pageantry, traveling far and wide in some of the Commonwealth countries before their jubilee. Guests—high and low were invited at the celebration.

Guests at the anniversary celebration at Westminster Abbey also included 20 ordinary Britons who were celebrating Anniversaries on the same day with the Royals. The historic event showed to the entire world what marriage and its anniversary really meant to the British Royals.

For that, Queen Elizabeth II is the first monarch to celebrate sixty years of marriage in the world.

So, perhaps Pastor MK.Thuimi is one among the few who have celebrated their golden wedding anniversaries in Manipur. It was touching to observe that a son paid his tribute to the parents, and in return, they had a special place in their hearts for their children before the engrossed audience in the church.

Will not it be an eye-opener for the new generation and Christians at large to ameliorate it? As a matter of fact, we have hardly heard of any such anniversary ever held in Manipur even as almost all the hill people are now Christians.

To conclude, at times, a woman, for example, is given an unpleasant insight into what life would be worth for, and like his wife if he turns out to be the Devil Incarnate with his own people as sadistic beasts in the long run.

One incontrovertible fact is that many a house wife often suffers due to a brute husband. For all this, the celebration signifies how holy and honourable a marriage is, to endure life.