Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 23:
Along with demanding the Government of India to extend all the Constitutional provisions and adequate legal status to followers of Sanamahi Laining, a religious congregation held on the auspicious occasion of Mera Chouren Houba festival at Haying Khongbal Uphong Yumpham the sacred site of Sanamahi located inside Ist MR complex today have urged to recognise the followers of Sanamahi Laining as minority and extend and entitlements given to the religious minorities by the Government.
In view of the disturbance in the sanctity and dignity of Sanamahi and its temple on account of its location apart from other restrictions imposed, the religious congregation attended by a large number of people coming from different parts of the State also resolved to put pressure on the Government for shifting the Ist MR compound elsewhere.
Recognising the fact that Govindajee Temple Board and Sanamahi Temple Board have been constituted after enactment of relevant Acts, the congregation decried discriminatory attitude of the Government towards the two Board with regard to grant of fund and asserted that fund granted to Govindajee Temple Board is more than the provision for Sanamahi Board.
The congregation further urged that Government for completing the construction work on the Sanamahi Khubam at Wangoi, which had been destroyed with the promise of reconstructing in its originality.
Giving a consensus on the alleged discrepancies in the planning and development of Kangla, the religious congregation unanimously resolved to entrust Lainingthou Sanamahi Thougal Kanglup for taking up necessary measures for fulfilment of these demands.
The function of the Mera Chouren Houba festival commenced with a religious procession from Haying Khongbal to Kangla.
After carrying the sacred water from Kangla, the procession passed through various important routes of Imphal and converged at the starting point.
Many people also offer Athenpot at the occasion.
Talking to mediapersons on behalf of the Laining Sanamahi Temple Board president on the decision taken by the people during the religious congregation, Board member Maibam Doren said though Sanamahi Laining has been in existence since 2000 BC, the development of this religion has been suppressed at various stages of its history and even today the danger posed to it by other religions is still very such present.
In the absence of State patronage of this religion, the people as a whole has taken up these resolution for the development of Sanamahi laining, he explained.
While observing that the main feature of the Laining is its secular characteristic, Doren cited the tolerance of the followers of Sanamahi Laining even to the extend of allowing people who have embraced other faiths to keep the sacred place of Sanamahi in their respective houses.