Kwatha residents yearn for helping hands; Keirao MLA donates money
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 10 2022: Mired in poverty and lack of income generating opportunities, residents of Kwatha village in Tengnoupal district are yearning for helping hands from the Meetei community settled in the valley area of the state.

The Meetei village, which is located at a distance of around 102 kilometres from here, is planning to organise the Lai Haraoba festival of Nongpok Ningthou and Nongpok Panthoibi for five days from May 14 .

Ahead of the religious festival, Keirao MLA Lourembam Rameshwar along with members of Salaicha Pibarel Punsi Marup (SPPM) visited the village and offered prayers at the sacred sites of Nongpok Ningthou, Nongpok Panthoibi Chaningkhombi.

The MLA also extended financial assistance to the villagers towards organising the Lai Haraoba festival, which has become a costly event today.

He expressed sadness on learning that the villagers have not been able to organise the religious festival for the deities for the last four to five years due to financial constraint.

The village, which has over 80 households, has fermentation of bamboo shoots (Soibum) as the main source of income and as such, most of the families have low income, the MLA noted while drawing attention of different organisations in the state to extend help to the village.

He said that Kwatha villagers have been playing an important role in bringing communal harmony among the different communities and urged the local MLA to visit the village to encourage them.

Takhellambam ongbi Sarju, a woman who is from Awang Sekmai but married to a Kwatha villager, informed media persons that there are 85 households in the village and only 25 of them follow the indigenous religion while the rest have embraced Christianity.

The 25 households are also among the families with worst financial position and yet they are standing steadfast to preserve and promote the indigenous religion.

Owing to their poor financial position, the villagers have not been able to organise the annual Lai Haraoba festival, she said.

Sarju, who is also a member of Kwatha Inat Kanba Lup, said that the few families, who are still upholding the indigenous religion, find it hard to organise the religious festival every year and as a result, they have skipped the festival for the last few years.

Though people from different parts of the state visit the festival, the villagers are in no position to serve the visitors.

If not for some assistance from Tamil Sangam, Moreh, they would not be able to organise the religious festival, which is rather a disheartening experience for the few Meetei populace living in the hilly terrains of.

Tengnoupal district while guarding the boundary of the state, she lamented.

She drew attention of well-to-do Meeteis and organisations in the valley to help the villagers improve their socio-economic condition and to help in organising the religious festival.

Except for small Soibum business and charcoal production, the villagers have no alternative income avenue, she added.

Later, MLA Rameshwar urged the members of SPPM to contribute whatever amount they could, and handed over the contribution to the local womenfolk of the village, who are playing major role in organising the Lai Haraoba festival.

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