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Manipur Titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba sharing a moment with Lok Sabha MP Lorho Pfoze during Mera Houchongba festival at the Kangla Fort in Imphal on Sunday. (DIPR photo)[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Imphal, Oct. 13 (EMN): Mera Houchongba, a festival which exemplifies oneness and brotherhood among the people of different ethnic communities residing in Manipur was celebrated with pomp and gaiety at the historic Kangla Fort in Imphal today.
Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh said that the ancient stories of brotherhood and the civilisation of Manipur should be included in the school and college syllabus, so that the young generation will get to know the relation of the people residing in the hill and valley of Manipur, who share a common ancestry and have unbreakable blood relation.
"Mera Wayungba or Mera Thaomei Thaanba still narrates the age-old story how the younger brother who went down to the valley signalled to his elder brother in the hill about his wellbeing," he said.
It may noted that during Mera Wayungba or Mera Thaomei Thaanba, every house arranged a limelight in front of the house with prayers for peace and happy years in ‘Mera’ month of the Manipuri calendar which usually falls in October.
The chief minister said the state government has been putting in sincere efforts to retain fraternal bonding and peaceful co-existence among different communities of the state ever since it was sworn in on March 15, 2017.
Both the hill and valley people not only suffered together but also fought jointly every time Manipur faced external aggressions from Awa (Burma) and British, he reminded.
Earlier, rituals like Mera Men Tongba and Yenkhong Tamba were performed at Royal Palace to strengthen the fraternal bond among people of different ethnic communities.
To mark the occasion, a colourful traditional procession was carried out from Royal palace to Kangla Fort as part of the celebration.
Titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba attended the event as the functional president.
Legislators, officials from different departments, village chiefs and people from different walks of life attended the festival.