Meitei festivals are an integral part of the cultural heritage of the Meitei people, an ethnic group native to the Indian state of Manipur. The festivals often celebrate events from

Ancient Manipur The Manipur Kingdom was an ancient independent kingdom at the India–Burma frontier that was in subsidiary alliance with British India from 1824, and became a princely state in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in the west and Brit ...

and often coinciding with seasonal changes. These festivals reflect the unique customs and traditions of the Meitei community, and are celebrated with great enthusiasm and zeal. There are various festivals celebrated throughout the year, each with its own significance and rituals.

List

Cheiraoba

Cheiraoba (ꯆꯩꯔꯥꯎꯕ), the new year festival of the

Meitei ethnicity The Meitei people, also known as the Manipuri people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." is ...

falls on the 1st lunar day of Sajibu month in the Meitei year. During the celebration, people worship

Lainingthou Sanamahi Laininthou Sanamahee (Meetei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯁꯥꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ) is the Supreme Guardian God of mankind and the supreme deity of the household in Meetei religion and mythology. He originated from the ancient kingdom of Kangleipak (M ...

inside the

Sanamahi Kachin Laininthou Sanamahee (Meetei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯁꯥꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ) is the Supreme Guardian God of mankind and the supreme deity of the household in Meetei religion and mythology. He originated from the ancient kingdom of Kangleipak (M ...

, by offering fruits and vegetables available during the season of the year.Sajibu Cheiraoba
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Emoinu Eratpa

Emoinu Eratpa (ꯏꯃꯣꯢꯅꯨ ꯏꯔꯥꯠꯄ), the sacred day for Emoinu, the goddess of wealth and prosperity in

Meitei mythology Meitei mythology or Manipuri mythology ( mni, Meitei Mi Lai Tingi Wari) is a collection of myths, belonging to the religious and cultural traditions of the Meitei people, the predominant ethnic group of Manipur. It is associated with tradi ...

and religion, falls on the 12th lunar day of the Wakching month of the Meitei year. The festival falls on the twelfth lunar day of Wakching month of Meitei calendar. The festival is celebrated in Manipur, Assam, Tripura in India and Bangladesh as well as

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

Heikru Hidongba

Heikru Hidongba "Heikru Hidongba" (Manipuri boat racing festival) is a socio-religious ceremony performed every year at the moat of the Sagolband Bijoy Govinda Leikai, Imphal on the 11th day of the Meitei calendar month Langban (coinciding with September) with e ...

(ꯍꯩꯀ꯭ꯔꯨ ꯍꯤꯗꯣꯡꯕ), the annual royal boat racing festive event (a typical Hiyang Tannaba), falls on the 11th lunar day of the Langban month of the Meitei year. The event is mainly organized in the

moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...

of the Sagolband Bijoy Gobinda in Imphal. It is a socio-religious ceremony performed every year at the moat of the Sagolband Bijoy Govinda Leikai, Imphal on the 11th day of the Meitei calendar month Langban (coinciding with September) with elements of religious, custom and other traditional belief of creation.

Kwaak Taanba

Kwaak Taanba Kwaak Taanba or Kwaak Jatra or Loidam Kumsaba or Crow freeing festival is an indigenous festival of Manipur, in which the King of Manipur sets free of a crow, from his custody. The day falls on the 10th lunar day of Mera month of the Meitei calen ...

(ꯀ꯭ꯋꯥꯛ ꯇꯥꯟꯕ), the ceremonial freeing of the crow by the Meitei king, falls on the 10th lunar day of the Mera month of the Meitei year. Its main venue for celebration is the

Sana Konung The Sana Konung () is the Royal Palace of the rulers of Manipur, from the annexation of the Kangla The Kangla Palace ( mni, /kəŋ.la/), popularly as well as officially known as the Kangla Fort, is an old fortified palace at Imphal in the Ma ...

, the Royal Residence of the King of Manipur. The day falls on the 10th lunar day of Mera month of the Meitei calendar. The festival accompanies several rites and rituals, along with various divine dance and music performances held at the Sana Konung, the

Royal Palace This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...

of Manipur at Imphal.. The setting free of the crow is performed at the Thangapat, the Royal

Moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...

, in Imphal. The main purpose of the festival is to bring

prosperity Prosperity is the flourishing, thriving, good fortune and successful social status. Prosperity often produces profuse wealth including other factors which can be profusely wealthy in all degrees, such as happiness and health. Competing notion ...

and good luck in the region. It's performed since time immemorial.

Lai Haraoba

Lai Haraoba Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with the Meitei people celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meiteilon. In this festival, the people worship ...

(ꯂꯥꯢ ꯍꯔꯥꯎꯕ), the merrymaking festival dedicated to the Umang Lais and the Lam Lais of Sanamahism, has no particular dates of celebration according to Meitei calendar. Some are celebrated for a few weeks while some continue for more than a month. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in

Meiteilon Meitei (), also known as Manipuri (, ), is a Tibeto-Burman language of north-eastern India. It is spoken by around 1.8 million people, predominantly in the state of Manipur, but also by smaller communities in the rest of the country and in pa ...

. This festival is organized as a piece of memory of the contribution of Gods in creating the Universe and also it is celebrated in the memory of the development of plants, animals and human beings.

Mera Chaorel Houba

Mera Chaorel Houba Mera Chaorel Houba or Mera Chaoren Houba is the religious festival of Manipur, dedicated to the Lord Lainingthou Sanamahi and Leimarel Sidabi, celebrated by the Meitei people and the indigenous tribal communities of the hills. The day falls on ...

(ꯃꯦꯔꯥ ꯆꯥꯎꯔꯦꯜ ꯍꯧꯕ), the onset of the Mera month is marked by the united gatherings of the Meitei people along with the tribesmen communities of Manipur on the 1st lunar day of the Mera month of the Meitei year. It is during this event that devotees offer rice, fruits and vegetables to

and

Leimarel Sidabi ) , deity_of = Goddess of earth, nature and household , member_of = Imung Lais , image = Relief art depicting Salailen (Salailel), the Supreme God, creating Leimalen (Leimalel), the first female being in the universe, according ...

in the sacred

Sanamahi Temple Sanamahi Temple ( mni, ꯁꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ ꯂꯥꯢꯁꯪ) or Sanamahi Sanglen ( mni, ꯁꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ ꯁꯪꯂꯦꯟ) is a temple of Lainingthou Sanamahi, the supreme deity of Sanamahism. It is located in the Sanakhwa Yaima Kollup near Kangl ...

of Imphal.

Mera Hou Chongba

Mera Hou Chongba Mera Hou Chongba or Mera Waayungba or Mera Thaomei Thaanba is the cultural festival of solidarity of Manipur, celebrated by every indigenous ethnic groups, including the Meitei people and the rest of hilly tribes. The day falls on the 15th lunar ...

(ꯃꯦꯔꯥ ꯍꯧ ꯆꯣꯡꯕ) falls on the 15th lunar day of the Mera month of the Meitei year. Its main theme is the unity and love between the Meitei people and the tribesmen communities of Manipur. On this day, all the hill tribes came down to the valley of Imphal, and gather at the Royal Palace, and show their cultural dances and other art forms. The day ends with a grand feast, held together with the Meitei people and the tribes, to show solitude, oness of all the ethnic groups in the region.

Ningol Chakouba

Ningol Chakouba Ningol Chakouba or Chakouba or Hiyangei Nini Paanba is a festival, celebrated by the Meitei people in the second lunar day of Hiyangei (''October–November'') month of Manipuri calendar. The festival is celebrated in the theme of strengthening o ...

(ꯅꯤꯉꯣꯜ ꯆꯥꯛꯀꯧꯕ) falls on the 2nd lunar day of the Hiyangkei month of the Meitei year. It is on this day that the married ladies compulsory visit their parental house to dine with their paternal family members, especially brothers. The festival is celebrated in the theme of strengthening of the bond of love between married

ladies The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inform ...

(''ningol'') and their paternal families.

Panthoibi Iratpa

Panthoibi Iratpa Panthoibi Iratpa or Panthoibi Iraat Thouni or Panthoibi Puja is a religious festival of the Manipuri people dedicated to goddess Panthoibi, the goddess of courage, war, bravery and wisdom of Sanamahism (Manipuri religion). The festival falls o ...

(ꯄꯥꯟꯊꯣꯢꯕꯤ ꯏꯔꯥꯠꯄ), the sacred festival dedicated to

Panthoipi ) , deity_of = Goddess of civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom , member_of = Lairembis and Umang Lais , image = PANTHOIPI.jpg , alt = , caption = Goddess Panthoipi char ...

, the Meitei goddess of war and love, is celebrated by her devotees, in the holy pantheons dedicated to her. The festival falls on the same day of Hindu festival of Durga Puja. So, both the festival are celebrated together in Manipur. The goddess

Panthoibi ) , deity_of = Goddess of civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom , member_of = Lairembis and Umang Lais , image = PANTHOIPI.jpg , alt = , caption = Goddess Panthoipi char ...

is also worshipped as the

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...

of same attributes (riding on the tiger) with that of

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

goddess Durga since 1714 AD during the reign of Emperor Garib Niwaj when he embraced Hinduism as the official religion in the kingdom of Manipur. The

Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple ) , native_name_lang= Meitei , religious_affiliation=Sanamahism (Meitei religion) , region=Hiyangthang , country=India , patron=King Senbi Kiyamba (1467-1508 AD) of Ningthouja dynasty , architecture_type=Meitei architecture ( Manipuri architectu ...

Imphal West district , native_name_lang = Meitei , other_name = omp, Nongchup Yumphal , nickname = , settlement_type = District of Manipur , image_skyline = Knagla fort, manipur, India 6.jpg , image_a ...

is the largest site for the festival in Manipur.

Sanamahi Ahong Khong Chingba

Sanamahi Ahong Khong Chingba Sanamahi Ahong Khong Chingba or Sanamahi Cheng Hongba or Kang Chingba is the religious festival of Meitei people, associated mainly with the public procession with the grand chariot, housing the ancient Meitei deity Lainingthou Sanamahi. The Im ...

(ꯁꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ ꯑꯍꯣꯡ ꯈꯣꯡ ꯆꯤꯡꯕ), also known as Sanamahi Cheng Hongba, is a grand chariot pulling festival dedicated to

Sanamahi Laininthou Sanamahee (Meetei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯁꯥꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ) is the Supreme Guardian God of mankind and the supreme deity of the household in Meetei religion and mythology. He originated from the ancient kingdom of Kangleipak ...

, the Guardian of the mankind in Sanamahism. It is on this day people pour a basketful of uncooked rice in front of the idol of the deity. The main venue of the event is Imphal. It was revived in 2018 AD after having been banned for 350 years. The Imphal city serves as the main location of the festival. It attracts thousands of pilgrims who join the procession. The festival was celebrated 350 years ago, and after a long pause, it was first recelebrated in the year 2018.

Yaoshang

(ꯌꯥꯎꯁꯪ) falls on the 15th lunar day of the Lamtaa month of the Meitei year. It is a five-day festival, starting from the Full moon day of the month. Due to its coincidence with the timing of Holi, people imitate the Hindu culture of using colors to spray among one another. Yaosang is indigenous traditions of the Meitei people. It is considered the most important festival in Manipur.

Other festivals

Since some sections of Meitei people also follow Hinduism and Christianity, the general Hindu and Christian festivals are also celebrated in addition to those of the traditional

Meitei religion () , native_name_lang = mni , image = The Symbol of Sanamahi.svg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = The Symbol of Sanamahism (Source: Wakoklon Heelel Thilen Salai Amailon Pukok Puya) , ...

( Sanamahism).{{Citation needed, date=February 2023

References

Manipur Meitei culture Festivals by culture Pages with unreviewed translations