Luita Phanit celebrated in Ukhrul villages
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 30, 2011:
Luita Phanit, the five day seed sowing festival of Tangkhuls celebrated every year with traditional rituals and dances commenced from January 27.Usually the festival is celebrated at village level.
The opening function of this year's celebration function at Kuiru village and Nungbi villages in Ukhrul district was attended by Mk Preshow Shimray, senior scientific officer, Environment and Ecology Wing as chief guest.
Speaking at the opening function, Shimray observed that the Luita Phanit is one of the most important festivals of the Tangkhul which has been celebrating since early period and said the main feature of the event is the get-together of people forgetting enmities of the past.
Women who married to men of other villages were also invited to join the festival and seeking blessing of the almighty for a bumper harvest in the coming season and for prosperity.
The advent of Christianity has brought some changes in the mode of celebration the chief guest observed stressing the need of older people relay the true feature of the festival to the youngsters of today so that the tradition is kept intact.
Youngsters of today must also try to maintain the true spirit of the festival instead of disrespecting advises in the name advancement.
It is a must to maintain own culture and tradition inherit from the forefather.
He further said that despite having invested huge amount of funds by the government for development under various schemes, if people, particularly youths are not sincere enough and corporate with the government, it would not be possible to march the state towards development.
The chief guest who unfurled festival flag at the opening function also wished the villagers a happy and prosperous future with the coming of the festival.