Cheiraoba celebrated with prayer for peace
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 05 2011: Manipur Monday celebrated 'Cheiraoba', the new year of Meetei (Manipuri) lunar calendar with people offering prayers and organising special feasts.

Prayers for peace and protection were on every lip while celebrating the day, in the violent riddled state of Manipur.

"I prayed to the gods to take away all the bad things bring good things with the coming of the New Year," said Memcha Devi, a housewife adorned with traditional attire, who performed ritual on the occasion at her house.

The message of peace, wishes started circulating on mobile phones since early morning as families, friends and even strangers exchanged text messages.

Thanks to latest communication technology.

Cheiraoba is the New Year festival of Manipur.

It is celebrated on the first day of the month Sajibu (March).

Sanamahi, the domestic deity of the people of Manipur is worshipped on this day.

As the festival arrives, people start cleaning and decorating their houses and wear new dresses.

Special dishes are prepared on the festival day.

On this day the 'Chahitaba' is also selected.

Chahitaba bears all the sins of the people for the whole year.

Chahitaba is nominated by Maibas after comparing the horoscope.

On this day, people climb the hill of 'Cheiraoching', where a small shrine of Shiva is placed.

As people prayed for a peaceful and prosperous New Year, every household appeased the gods with a sumptuous feast.

Married women visited their parental homes to present gifts to their relatives and wish them prosperity.

The festival comes at a time when the state is reeling under the impact of recent incidents of uninterrupted violence.

Hills nearby the valley areas where people consider almighty were wore riot of colour as thousands of people turned out and claim to worship in the place where almighty's places where keep by the people particularly by the Meeteis.

People of all age ranges, all works of life converged at the foothill after taking special meal of the day with joy forgetting the every violent news hitting the newspapers in the state.

"With the festival come, we can forget the incidents of killing and shooting reported in the state everyday and feel peace of mind for the moment.

What would happened in the next moment, I can forget," said 45-year Thoiba who came to the Cheiraoching at Chnigmeirong in Imphal west with his wife and two little kids.

The New Year celebrations are also followed by a traditional folk dance "Thabal Chongba" which once performed only during the Yaosang festival, On the New Year, the youth gather and celebrate the occasion with pomp and gaiety.

Boys wearing women's attire perform their traditional dances.

With the echo of drumbeats and the sounds of music, and smiling people the occasion the New Year Day celebrations was a special treat for one and all.

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