Route row mars Mera Chourel Houba festival
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 05 2013 :
The Mera Chourel Houba festival got underway on an inauspicious note as misunderstanding on the devotees' procession route from Kangla slightly interrup-ted the traditional opening ceremony of the festival.
having entered the sacred Kangla through its southern gate after the religious procession started from Laining- thou Sanamahi Temple inside the 1st Bn Manipur Rifles complex, priests leading the procession contended that as per tradition the exit point for the religious march should be through the northern gate.
However, Kangla Fort Board officials denied passage through the north gate insisting that the said route along with the western gate are accessible only by the VIPs (Governor, CM) and Board officials.
Even as disagreement ensued for about half an hour, some among the religious procession established contact with the CM, the Deputy CM as well as the Art & Cul-ture Commissioner, whose intervention apparently resulted in officials of the secu- rity force unit stationed inside Kangla to open the north gate, thus allowing the procession to proceed.
Like in the past, the religious procession entered Kangla to procure water from Nungjeng Pukhri (pond) considered sacred by the majority community from where the procession culminated at Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple.
Earlier the traditional ceremony began with Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar, former Minister and Sanamahi Temple Board president L Jayentakumar and Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee vice president Bidyapati Senjam attending as the chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Prior as well as after the religious procession offerings were made at the Sanamahi Temple to invoke blessing of the almighty.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr Ratankumar stated that Mera Chourel Houba festival is not only a traditional religious event but also symbolises fraternal bond between the hill and valley people.
Expressing confidence that such festival would sustain warm and cordial relationships amongst the ethnic communities, the Minister assured that the Chief Minister would be consulted for undertaking construction of a guest house and proper toilet facility at the Temple premises.