Chingjaroi , Kharmor Angkhui Festival Celebration

Chingjaroi, originally known Asinei or Asewnei alternatively called Zingchui/Zingjui by the tangkhul, Shomai by the Poumai and khatchomi by the Chakhesangs is a large village located in northern Ukhrul district, Manipur state, India and bordered mainly by villages like Jessami, Tasom, Chingai, Marem, Peh, Phaibung and Laii ( Gaziphema)originally. Later villages like Razai, Namrei and Kharasom came to settle in the land of chingjaroi and became its neighboring villages. The village consists of three sister villages, namely, Chingjaroi Khullen, Chingjaroi Khunou and Chingjaroi Christian Village. Chingjaroi Khullen the nearest from the National Highway 150 is approximately 84 kilometers from Ukhrul district headquarters.

Origin

Resu, the founder and the first Khullakpa, originally lived at Khongdei village ( Khongdei a Poumai village which came from Koide village. Koide village is believed to have come from Makhel which is an important site for the Nagas ). From there he moved to what is now the site of Phaibung Khunuo(Chumai village).One day he went hunting, and wounded a large deer. He followed the tracks to a pool of water near the present site of the Khullakpa's house (Khullen). He climbed a tree and found millet, which he took. Next morning he went home, and his wife offered him rice and zu, but he refused it. That night he sought omens in a dream, and the dream told him to change the site of his village. He was to tie a rope around the neck of his mithun and a stone to the other end, turn the mithun loose and follow it. When the stone fell off, the site was reached. However, he found a suitable site behind the present one, and did not wait for the stone to fall. As he was clearing his house-site many lice came up from the ground, and after he had settled there tigers came and killed his cattle. Then he remembered the omen of the lice, and moved up to the present site of Chingjaroi Khullen , where he built a house in the position of the present Khullakpa's.

He prospered in his new home, and had many cattle and was very rich. Seeing this, a man from the Phaibung direction came with only his dog and offered himself as Resu's man. He became one of Resu's clan, and was the ancestor of the Tamanchui. Another man came from the Laii ( Gaziphema) direction with a magical sharpening stone , and was the ancestor of the Khansunchui. Lastly a man came from the direction of Jessami and Lozaphemi, and so the clan he founded, the Lasema, are a sub-division of the Amuniuma. All these clans are sub-divisions in their turn of Resu's clan, the Yangnuma, into which their founders were adopted; and so they may not intermarry with each other. They all live in the upper part of the village, and are called Yangnuma in their own language, and Kiruhnahmai by the poumai.

Resu had a younger brother called Rasu. Their mother was very old and could not walk in the jungle. When Resu founded his new village his mother and brother came to join him; but when they got into the jungle and the old woman could not get along, Rasu killed her and cut off her head, which he put in a cloth and took to Resu. When he arrived Resu asked: "Where is out mother?" and Rasu said: "She could not walk. What could I do? If I had left her she would have died; if I had stayed with her we should both have starved, so I killed her and cut off her head, and here it is." So Resu said: "You have killed our mother, and you cannot stay in my village" and drove him out. Rasu went to the site of Razai and settled there, and some men from his brother's village came and joined him. A war broke out between the two villages, and in the end Rasu was defeated. He moved further east, and founded Somra village now in Myanmar.

The Razhamas are descendants of men from Ukhrul who went first to Phungcham and then to Chingjaroi. The Sorochui's ancestors came from Razai direction, but not from Razai itself.

From.Ursula Graham Bower's journal (1937-1946).

Total population

As per 2015 census, Chingjaroi Khullen village has population of 1825 of which 927 are males while 898 are females as per Population Census 2011.

In Chingjaroi Khullen village population of children with age 0-6 is 272 which makes up 14.90 % of total population of village. Average Sex Ratio of Chingjaroi Khullen village is 969 which is lower than Manipur state average of 985. Child Sex Ratio for the Chingjaroi Khullen as per census is 1142, higher than Manipur average of 930.
According to 2015 census report, The total population of Chingjaroi Christian Village (CV) is 1280 of 214 households, of which 618 are male and 662 are female. Children in age group 0–6 was 158. The average sex ratio of Chingjaroi CV is 1071 females per 1000 males which is slightly higher than the state average of 985. Literacy rate of the village is 83.42%.

2011 census report records the total population of Chingjaroi Khunou as 548 with 98 households, of which 272 are male and 276 are female. The literacy rate of Chingjaroi Khunou is 68.93%.

Chingjaroi as a whole is flanked by Phaibung in the west, Jessami in the north, Peh in the south and Tusom in the east.

People and occupation

The village is home to people of the Naga tribe. The language of the village belongs to the Tibeto-berman family of languages within The Angami-Pochuri languages. The village has much cultural affinity towards the poumai tribe . Majority of the inhabitants are Christians of Roman Catholic and American Baptist denominations. Agriculture is the primary occupation of the inhabitants. Farming in large scale is practiced along the Laniye River. The village is well known in the district for its scenic beauty and her majestic Chingjui Mathü .Chingjaroi has plethora of eye catching scenic spots to offer for adventure lovers including the fame Chingjui peak, Akharo, Japan Kafalokatiu, waterfalls, lovers point and many others while offering them a picture perfect view of scenic poumai region, and a glance of Neighboring Nagaland's mount Saramati and few villages under Phek district.

Khamor Ngkhui (meaning 'ancient or fore-fathers festival'),also known as "Shomai Douni"( By the poumai ) is the most important festival of the village and is celebrated in the mounth of April,a feast of thanksgiving and providence to the Almighty where local-brewed rice-beer and traditional bread are its core attraction . It is celebrated with much gaiety in the month of April.

References

{{Ukhrul district

Villages in Ukhrul district