Black Day
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 03 2012:
On the second day of Black Day observance commemorating 283rd year (Meitei lunar calendar) of burning of the sacred puya, participants from a cross section of the society wore black badges to protest the event at different locations today.
At the observance held at Panthoibi Keithel under the joint aegis of ICOP, Meetei National Front and All Manipur Recognised Private Schools Welfare Association, the women vendors and members of the Kabui community from Sangaiprou Kabui Khun attended by wearing black badges.
Similarly students of Universal Students Academy (Singjamei), Imphal Public Higher Secondary School (Canchipur), Canchi Academy (Canchipur), Standard Robarth Higher Secondary School (Canchipur), Triveni Public School (Lilong Chajing), Khongjom Standard English School and Duraj English School (Lilong Chajing) attended the observance held at Brajalal Institute of Science, Moirangkhom.
Resource persons who spoke at the occasion emphasised on the contribution from each and every section of the society to preserve the art, tradition and customary practices of the indigenous people.
Consigning the Puyas to flame in 1729 under the insistence of the then Bengali scholar Shantidas Gosai was described as the darkest chapter in Manipur.
They also suggested that important places/landmark sites in the State should be rechristened with indigenous names in order to retain historical and traditional relevance.