The Other Side of Ningol Chakouba
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: Ocotber 24, 2014 -
Festivals have a purpose, which distinguishes human beings from other animals. Here, we may recall Greek political thinker Aristotle’s maxim ‘Man is a social animal’.
Besides adding flavor to human life, all kinds of festivities recreate and entertain human beings.
In addition to increasing social interaction among fellow beings in a community, celebrations of all kinds bring meaningful life to the members of a society.
For the people of Manipur, ‘Ningol Chakouba’ is one of the greatest events to rejuvenate the bonds between the sisters and brothers, parents and their married daughters.
Nowadays, the concept of ‘Ningol Chakouba’ has been broadened with time, as it has been playing a vital role to revive the age-old ties among the myriad communities residing in the state.
The festival is believed to have started as early as during the time of ‘Pakhangba’, when queen ‘Laisana’ hosted a feast for her brother ‘Poireiton’.
In course of time, during the reign of Chandrakiti Maharaj, the tradition has changed with the brothers hosting feasts for their sisters at parental homes.
Ningol Chakouba is unique as it speaks volumes in building social bonds between family members, as well as among communities.
Celebration of such a festival is highly relevant in Manipur, where over 30 different ethnic groups have been residing since times immemorial.
Here, we may appreciate the endeavour of various valley social organizations which organize the festival with participation of women-folk of various communities.
However, as all things have their inherent merits and demerits, festivals have also their ugly sides created by the humans themselves.
In the name of festivals like Diwali and Ningol Chakouba, a number of young people have indulged in gambles like ‘Lagao Khaoba’, ‘Housie’ and ‘Lottery’ in almost all localities.
Most security persons who are supposed to prevent such gambling in public places find a hectic time to collect money from the gamblers in the name of prohibiting the gambling, thereby indirectly encouraging the practice. Even women have showcased their participation in the so called ‘Diwali Khaoba’ in various localities.
Frenzied competitions on the quantity or quality of gifts and presentations have often harassed the poor brothers and parents.
While the festival seeks to bring social cohesion among the various sections of the society, unhealthy contests for the gifts on Ningol Chakouba have apparently brightened the social divide between the poor and the rich. Due to undue pressures on the paternal families, many poor brothers and parents feel dismay during the Ningol Chakouba festivity.
Interestingly, it is reported that customers have been in queue well before 2/3 months for purchase of luxurious i-20 cars for the Ningol Chakouba gifts to their sisters and daughters.
The greater the cost of gifts for Ningol Chakouba celebration, the lesser will be the purpose and meaning of the occasion.
Let the festival of Ningol Chakouba remain imbibed with the spirit and purpose for which it was created centuries ago.
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