Meeteis from Myanmar came to see Sanamahi Kiyong
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 26 2013: A 9-member team of Meeteis from Myanmar, who are descendents of those Meeteis who have settled in Myanmar ever since the 'Seven Years Devastation', came to Imphal and visited Sanamahi Kiyong which is being constructed at Nongmaijing hills today.

The team comprising three male and six female members reportedly started their journey from Myanmar on May 17 and reached Imphal on May 23.They are presently being lodged at the guest house of Art and Culture Department located within Palace Compound.

The team is led by one Hajarimayum Kachiram.

All the members of the team are from Sagang Village in Myanmar which is located about 400 kms from Tamu.

Soon after their arrival here, the team went to visit Khwairamband Ima Keithel, Kangla, Bijoy Govindaji Temple and Sana Konung.

They also witnessed Lai Haraoba festival at Imphal.

Today, the team visited to see Sanamahi Kiyong which is being constructed at Nongmaijing hills, along with Sapam Bhiegya, Joint Director of Art and Culture and members of the Foundation for University of Sanamahi Culture.

Maykywat Yin, a Meetei lady, who is among the nine-member visiting team informed Hueiyen Lanpao that this was the first visit of the team to Imphal.

She expressed heartfelt contentment at the manner in which the people of Manipur have welcomed them and observed that her long cherished dream of visiting Manipur and meeting the Meeteis has been realised.

She further informed that the Meeteis in Myanmar have no knowledge of weaving the 'phanek' worn by Meetei ladies of Manipur.

So when they desire to buy one, they have to come all the way to Moreh and buy one at a very high rate.

Furthermore, Maykywat Yin informed that Umang Lai Haraoba is also celebrated in Myanmar.

The Meeteis in Myanmar still remember Manipur as their real motherland.

The Meeteis there long to visit Manipur at least once in their lifetime.

But the most saddening fact is that Manipuri language is losing its significance in Myanmar with hardly a few of Meeteis speaking in their mother tongue.

The visiting team was also presented with traditional clothes like Phanek and other items by the members of the Foundation for University of Sanamahi Culture.

Apart from visiting Loktak Lake, Khuman Lampak and others, the team also interacted with the film stars of Manipur.

The team members say that they watched Manipuri digital films.

They were also gifted with Manipuri films cassettes.

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