PREPAK greets people on Cheiraoba
IMPHAL, March 20: The People`™s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, PREPAK, in a greeting to the people on the occasion of Cheiraoba, said in a press release that the festival is important as it pertains to culture, economy and politics of the place.
It said the festival is a testimony that Kangleipak has been a nation state from very early times, and if the tenets of this festival is kept intact, the nation state will prosper.
The release said the festival refreshes the bondage between the society and the individuals, thereby securing the foothold of the nation state.
The release said the festival originated from the time of King Leinung Lonja Pakhangba and has been celebrated through the generations, and with each successive king, the festival made incremental changes, it said.
It said on this day in the past, the nobles in charge of Wangkhei Pana, Khurai Pana, Khwai Pana and Yaiskul Pana, went about on horsebacks ringing a bell tied to a staff and announcing the start of a new year. This tradition earned the festival its name.
During Meidingu Kiyamba (1467-1508) the tradition changed slightly, and instead of the nobles of the four panas, only one man was entrusted with the ceremony of announcing the new year, it said.
It said in recent times, Hindu Cheiraoba had come to be practised, and this is one of the reasons for the deteriorating standard of economy and politics of the place. Kangleipak lost its market for indigenously produced goods, and therefore became subservient to foreign economy, it added.
It said this is all the more reason why all Kangleicha must mend ways and think of preserving the pure traditions for a return to glory. This is a duty of all Kangleicha, the release further said.
KCP(MC) sends Cheiraba greetings
IMPHAL, March 20: The KCP(MC) in a press release today said its commander-in-chief, Nongdrenkhomba, wished the people of Manipur on the occasion of Sajibu Cheiraoba, saying this one of the most important festivals of the Meiteis.
The release said the festival has been celebrated from the time of Meigdingu Pakhangba, but got its name during Meidingu Naophangba, the seventh king in line after Meidingu Pakhangba.
It said according to Cheitharol Kumbaba, Meidingu Naophaba in 439AD had his men tie a bell on a stick (Chei) and go about swinging it to announce that from the next day, it would be a new year. The name Cheiraoba comes from this practice, it said.