INTRODUCTION:

The tribal people of Northeast have been performing many festivals which are ancient and have survived the stress and strain of time and circumstances. Nobody can pronounce with certainty when these festivals were started, as they do not have the script of their own to record. Their history has been preserved through the ages in form of festivals, hymns, folk dance, folk songs and folk tales. The way of life of the people is reflected in their various festivals and their social relevance is very great. They provide not only entertainment and social festivities to them, but also act as an integrating force for the community as a whole. In a year, they celebrate a number of festivals based on agricultural operations. We are trying to delve into the religious element and significance of the festivals of North east India with special reference to Kharams, Kabuis and Marams of Manipur.

MATERIALS AND METHOD:

The necessary data have been collected from available primary and secondary sources with the ethnological approach.

Every group or tribe of Northeast has its own traits of behavior. These particular traits of behavior as group, distinguish them from other homogenous groups. We may associate these traits as cultural traits of behavior, and these particular expressions of social relationships of homogenous group give them a cultural identity. According to Herskovits,¹ culture is “that part of the total setting that includes material objects of human manufacture, techniques, social orientations, points of view, and sanctioned ends, which are the immediate conditioning factors underlying behavior.” So, culture is the man made part of the environment. The traditional festivals of the Kabui, Kharam and Maram of Manipur are very momentous and as contained religious ingredient, they are religious in character.

Kabui festivals:

The Kabui people of Manipur celebrate numbers of festivals based on the agriculture operations according to lunar calendar with rejoice. It is the custom and tradition for them to offer sacrifice to God in the festival as thanks giving and entreaty to have plentiful harvest in the coming year. The victim of the sacrifice is consumed by them for wellbeing and prosperity. Altogether about nine festivals have been celebrating by the Kabui in a year since the ancient days. The most indispensable ritual festivals are as follows:

Napkao ngai:

Napkao literally means the calling of the paddy; (Nap means paddy, Kao means calling and ngai, festivity). It is celebrated for one day in the month of March/April for the worship of Tingkao Ragwang, the Supreme God for successful cultivation and plentiful harvest.² Napkao is performed at the residence of Napmupou³ by sacrificing a pig in name of Tingkao Ragwang.⁴ Then, the victim is roasted and cut into pieces and distributed to every household of the village for offering to God.⁵ Each family also performs Napkao ceremony in which a fowl is offered to Tingkao Ragwang for abundant harvest in the year.⁶ Another important ritual aspect of the festival is Napphun Keimei, seed sowing in which a piece of land is dug at the paddy field of Napmupou and some paddy seeds are sown therein with relevant hymns. It is carried out by Napmupei, wife of Napmupou. After rain, if the seeds sprout well it is calculated a rich harvest in the year otherwise a poor harvest.⁷ After this festival, the villagers are allowed to sow seeds at their respective paddy field or Jhumland.

Ginki ngai:

Ginki ngai is a festive celebration for the worship and entertainment of the Goddess of food grain for plentiful harvest. The term Ginki means entertainment of the guest, (Gin means guest, Ki means to entertain, here guest, meaning the goddess of food grain called Kangdailu in local name). It is one day festival held in the month of April/May in which only women are participated in the worship of Kangdailu and men are barred. The presence of rice deity is well attested in Asia where it is the staple crop.⁸ Kangdailu is the rice goddess of Kabuis. The opinion of Frank Byron Jevons is that“It is therefore an easy guess that the cultivation of plants was one of women’s contributions to the development of civilization; and it is in harmony with this conjecture that the cereal deities are usually, both in the old and the new female”.⁹ The rituals connected with agricultural deities are generally performed by women with the exclusion of men. She is the generative principle, the power of life and growth, in nature.¹⁰ In the worship and entertainment of Kangdailui, they offer special items of food such as rice, dry meat, cooked curry, egg, and a wine cup placing on a Pantanglu (winnowing fan).¹¹ This ritual offering is performed inside the house by the mother of the household with prayer to goddess:

“Ashei tingthan gaipuinung aram kairong ginki ngai ngaibam puthe che

Haipeipeipui Kangdailuli dingangpuithei laina,

Kumeikpukai kaikhunsu meitu makho meijang makho nakhang naplan gaitu joulan gaitung tibampudethe che.

Kumeipukai kaikhunshuni nap bi gatmamei kaikhun suna bamkaduthoche”.¹²

Free translation of the hymns:

Our village is celebrating Ginki ngai on this auspicious day.

As directed by Kangdailu, the family offers fresh cooked food, wine to you

Bless the family with bountiful harvest in the coming year.

The offering procedure is simple and of short duration.¹³ With this the festival concludes.

Kharam festivals:

The Kharams celebrate a number of festivals in a year according to the agricultural operations. The Saratha Kahoi and Muda are important festivals.

Saratha Kahoi (Invocation of Paddy Goddess)

The Kharams observed Saratha Kahoi festival in the month of March (Murtun-Muchai) in connection with the invocation of the goddess of paddy called Sapi. It performs at the residence of the Khokalakpa, village chief. W. Dhiren Singh asserted that ‘Khokalakpa of the village performed a ritual by offering an animal for the good harvest of the ensuing year on behalf of the concerned villagers. It is commenly believed by the Kharams that they will get a plenty of yield if the goddess Sapi of paddy is pleased. Either a pig or a buffalo or a mithun is usually made offer to please the Sapi. The animal is sacrificed with the observetion of one day genna collectively. The sacrificial mode of the animals are differed one from to another. As for illustration, in the csae a pig sacrifice, its legs are tied and wash it. Whereas the secrefice is of a buffalo or mithun, the village chief used to hold the rope to which the animal is tied and utters the ritual hymns which are associated with the sacrifice.’¹⁴

In the early morning of the day of festival, the Khokalakpa attiring traditional dress and performs the sacrificial offering. He does kneel down and with both hands joined, bows down towards the east and prays with the following hymn:

“Pathen (3) chubei,

Nissotia saang, buol puok kangask saang, chingbung saang, chingbung sang,

Mei ikang saang tui itaang saang,

Reet nobaya saang; ngal payaiya, ratna ngai kayoro,

Kakhua muna, tui anga yotput rou,

Li inteeng anga yo-in inteeng ro,

Pathen, pathen chubei.” ¹⁵

The following free translation of the recitation of the above mentioned hymn is quoted from Shangkham, Gina. 2006. The Ethno-history of the Kharam tribe of Manipur. New Delhi: Akansha Publishing House. p. 271:

“God (3) I adore you,

The guardian of the paddy in the east, the valley and the hills.

The paddy which have been burnt in the fire, the paddy which have been carried away by water, the paddy which have been eaten by the birds.

The paddy which have been eaten by the wild pigs, like a spring, collect all their spirits, do produce the yield.

Like deep still waters do increase the yield.

God I adore you”.

After this, he again performs another ritual called Tuikahe offering rice-beer first to the goddess of paddy, then to the deceased ancestors and to the dwelling evil spirits of the village. He offers the rice beer to Sapi and ancestors by his right hand, but he uses his left hand while offering the rice-beer for the evil spirits of the village. Finally, he thanks Pathen, the Supreme God.

W. Dhiren Singh narrated that “ the victim is distributed according to the traditional way of meat sharing for the Kataar, village council members and the general share for each family. The rest is cooked and consumed by Kataar members with drinks. On that day, they observe village genna” ¹⁶which marks the end of festival.

Muda (Worshipping of paddy goddess)

The Muda festival signifies the completion of seed-sowing in their respective paddy fields. During the festival they worship Sapi for good harvest. It is believed that the Sapi will bless them if she satisfies with their prayer. Muda is celebrated by individuals as well as by the Kataar members collectively and it lasts only for a day.

It is informed that Muda is the ritual of festival in which checking out the granaries of every household whether they have finished the paddy of their respective barns or not is conducted. The Taangwas are entrusted the duty of to find out whose granary retains the maximum amount of paddy and whose barn remains the least quantity and so on. While checking is operation to those barns by the Taangwas each family provided them either a fowl or rice-beer pot. The items which they received from every household are deposited to the residence of village chief.¹⁷

In the evening the Kataar members congratulate those persons who are able still to retain food grains in their respective granaries. Regarding the foretell of the destiny of family Gina Shangkham writes that “they also predict the probable fate of each family by observing the position of the legs of the fowls that they presented to the Kataar through the Taangwas. After completing all these, all the Kataar members assemble at the residence of Khokalakpa and have their meal together with the meat and drinks presented by the villagers.”¹⁸

Every family invites their married sister and their husband to attend the one day festival. They kill an animal and worship the Sapi. While killing the animal they perform omen taking ritual. If they killed a fowl, its legs are observed or if it is a pig the position of its spleen is carefully examined to know the fate of the family concerned in the ensuing year.

Then, every family enjoys the day with their married sister and her husband called Maksaas.It is reported that “they dine together with the meat of slaughtered animal of the festival. It is compulsory to have drinking of rice-beer. The festival brought strengthens and renew the relationships between brothers and married sisters. During the time of harvesting married sisters use to come to help their brothers in the field with gifts. In return of that their brothers offer a basketful of paddy to each sister. In a year it becomes the last festival of the Kharam.”¹⁹

Maram Festivals:

The Maram festivals mainly consist of incantation and glorification of deities followed by communal feasts. Gennas are observed by them during the worship. The festivals of the Maram are celebrated on particular days of Maram months. In a year, they observe a number of festivals. Some of the important festivals are Mang-kang, Mupi- Komtai, Ponghi etc. There are variations in the time of certain festivals, but the spirit essentially remains the same.

Mang-kang:

This festival is observed in the month of Tinpui-ku (which falls in April). One day ahead of the festival, they offer a sacrifice of chicken to the deity called Malla for getting a good crop during the coming year. According to Joseph Athickal ‘vegetables are not to be consumed on day of this particular festival. For this feast fish, crab and meat are made arrangement privately. The feast is specially meant for those newly married women who got married during the current year. The newly married women come back to their parental residence and have feasts together with their own brothers and sisters with chicken. It is, in fact, a day of farewell for the newly married women from parental house. In the afternoon of the day, a particular type of dance is acted upon by the newly married women and also virgins. The dance is known as Psuha²⁰ which is continued until dusk’. He further stated that “young girls are shown their cheerfulness, enthusiasm and joy. For the newly married this is their last festival as virgins and girls, from now on they will no more be considered as virgins. On this day, the newly married woman is allowed to sleep in her own dormitory called ruluki. The dance they executed on Mang-kang is not for any competition, but just to entertain and show people of their agility, vivaciousness etc.”²¹

Mupi-Komtai:

Mupi-Komtai is another festival of Maram. During this feast, the parents specially look after the last child of the family. They do not go outside the house for works.

Ponghi:

Ponghi festival is observed to mark the conclusion of the planting season. On the 20^th day of the Ponghi-ku (July) month all planting is to be over. Then, it begins seven days of celebrations. It starts with a thanks giving sacrifice. The main festival of Ponghi begins with this sacrifice of thanks giving. It is said that ‘on this day of festival, a spotless cow is slaughter. Generally Sagong, the king of Maram has supplied the cow for sacrifice. In bygone days, a female mithun was choosen for the purpose. Whatsoever it is, a female sacrificed victim is stressed. The main reason for the sacrifice is also to invoke fertility on the crops which are newly sown and also on the newly married.’²²

Water was sprinkled on the cow and slaughtered. After this sacrifice, cows are also killed in the different khels of the village. Each family offers meat and rice to the deity. The offered rice and meat are not cooked well while offering. After this offering the sacrificial rice and meat are kept somewhere on top of the main beam of the house.

The third day is the biggest festival. In respect to the festival, it is narrated that on that day the males and females prepare food separately and consume, feast on meat and wine. Special gifts are presented to the newly married. The newly married women proceed to the residence of their parental. They are offered dog curry from a good dog. A good dog is a dog whose tail and ear have been cut off earlier, at least slightly. During this festival usually the bride price is received by bride family from the groom’s family.²³ The remaining days are celebrated with invocation.

CONCLUSION:

After observing the above facts, we can conclude that festival is a part and parcel of the Kharam, Maram and Kabui people inhabiting in the state of Manipur. All the festivals are observed based on agriculture operations according to lunar calendar with festive spirit and prayer. Antique religion is based on rituals. They offer animal sacrifice to the goddess of paddy for fruitful cultivation and fertility of married women. In the festival, married women visited their parental houses and dine with their brothers and parents. Festivals unite not only the family members but also the community as a whole. In fact, the nature of the festivals of the Kharam, Kabui and Maram are religious in character with the component of vivaciousness, enthusiasm and joy.

REFERENCES:

1. Herskovits, Melville J, 1974. Cultural Anthropology. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Co. p. 95.

2. Chamdin Then. 1973. Changbi. Vol. I, Imphal. p.3.

3. He is the in-charge of agricultural rites of the village.

4. Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak. 2002. Ringlon Khatni Theilon. Imphal. p.13.

5. Hodson, T.C. The Naga Tribes of Manipur. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. p.172.

6. Kamei, Gangmumei. 2004. The History of the Zeliangrong Naga From Makhel to Rani Gaidinlu Spectrum Publications, Guwahati/ Delhi, p.310.

7. Ragongning Gangmei (Collected &Compiled). 1991. Folk-Songs of Kabui (Rongmei). Imphal. p.1.

8. Parrat, Saroj Nalini. 1980. The Religion of Manipur (Beliefs, Rituals and Historical Development. Calcutta. p. 91.

9. Byron Jevons, Frank. 1985. The History of Religion. Delhi: Orient Publications (Reprint)

10. p. 240.

11. Rawlinson, George. 1980. The Religions of the Ancient World. New Delhi: Award Publishing House. p.23.

12. Conference on Zeliangrong Religion. 1994. Commemorative Volume (Papers on Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak). Imphal. pp.9-10.

13. Kamson, Chaoba. 2015. The Zeliangrong Social System and Culture. Imphal: Ashangba Communication. p. 84.

14. Golmei, Alana. 2004. The Zeliangrong Nagas in Manipur: A Socio-political Study. Unpublished PhD Thesis. Manipur University, Canchipur. p.76.

15. Singh, W. Dhiren. The Kharams in Manipur: An Ethnographic Study. Unpublished PhD Thesis. Manipur University, Canchipur. p. 132.

16. Shangkham, Gina. 2006. The Ethno-history of the Kharam tribe of Manipur. New Delhi: Akansha Publishing House. p. 271.

17. Singh, W. Dhiren. op.cit. p. 132.

18. Ibid.

19. Shangkham, Gina. op.cit. p. 274.

20. Singh, W. Dhiren. op.cit, p. 130.

21. Athickal, Joseph. 1992. Maram Nagas: A Socio-cultural Study. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. p. 80.

22. Ibid. p. 81.

23. Ibid. p. 84.

24. Ibid. p. 85.

Received on 15.04.2019 Modified on 09.05.2019

Int. J. Rev. and Res. Social Sci. 2019; 7(2):337-340.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2687.2019.00024.8