Manipur Temple Festivals are well known in the region for their festivities, merriments and mirth making that goes on round the year. A year in Manipur brings about a cycle of grand religious festivals. Hardly a month passes by in this state without a festival. The Manipuris believe, that the Manipur temple festivals are symbols of their cultural, social and religious aspirations. These Manipur temple festivals remove the monotony of life by providing physical diversions, mental recreation and emotional outlet and help one to lead a more relaxed and fuller life.
Lai-Haraoba is a Manipur temple festival, celebrated to worship the sylvan deities known as Umang Lai. This festival represents the worship of traditional deities and ancestors. A number of dances by both men and women are performed before the primeval divinities. The Lai Haraoba of God-Thangjing is the ruling deity of Moirang and his worshipping festivals attracts huge gatherings. This Manipur temple festival is held in the month of May.
Yaoshang or Dol Jatra is celebrated in Manipur for five days commencing from the full-moon day of Phalgun (February/March). Yaoshang is the foremost festival of Manipur. A kind of Manipuri folk dance called the Thabal Chongba is performed; in which boys and girls hold hands and dance away their blues in festive tube-lit ambience. This is an inseparable part of the festival. Besides, praying in temples, young and old folks collect donation from house to house and the money so collected is spent in feasting. Ratha Jatra is also one of the greatest Manipur temple festivals of the Hindus in this state. The festival is celebrated for about 10 days in the month of Ingen (June/July). Lord Jagannath leaves his temple in a Rath locally known as Kang pulled by pilgrims who compete with one another to attain this honour.
The festival Kut is of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes. It is an autumn festival of the different tribes of Kuki-Chin-Mizo groups of Manipur. The Manipur temple festival has been variously described at different places amongst different tribes as Chavang-Kut or Khodou. It is a happy occasion for the villagers whose food stock is profuse after a year of hard labour. The festival is a thanks-giving prayer in temples, along with feasts, songs and dances in merriment. This festival of Manipur is observed on the 1st of November every year.
Gang-Ngai is the festival of Kabui Nagas that is celebrated for five days in the month of Wakching or the winter months. This is an important Manipur temple festival of the Kabui Nagas, it opens with the religious omen taking ceremony on the first day, and the rest of the days are associated with common feast, dances of people from all age groups. They exchange farewell gifts and enjoys throughout the day. Chumpha is the festival of Tangkhul Nagas and is celebrated for seven days in the month of December. The festival is held after harvest and the last three days are devoted to social gatherings, religious rituals and rejoicings. Unlike other festivals women play an exceptional role in the festival. The concluding part of this Manipur temple festival ends with a procession within the village and ends at the temple.
Cheiraoba is the celebration of Manipur New Year. During this festival, people clean and decorate their houses and prepare special festive dishes, which are first offered to various deities. The temples are elaborately decorated and the deities are offered with special food. Celebrated during the month of April, a part of the ritual entails villagers climbing the nearest hilltops in belief that it will enable them to rise to greater heights in their worldly life. Heikru Hidongba is Manipur temple festival, celebrated in the month of September. This is a festival of joy with religious significance along a 16 metre wide boat. Long narrow boats are used to accommodate a large number of rowers and the idol of Shri Vishnu is installed before the commencement of the race.
Ningol Chakouba is primarily a social festival of Manipuris. Married women of the family come to the parental house along with her children and enjoy sumptuous feast after a prayer to the deities. It is a form of family rejoinder to revitalize familial affection. Ningol Chakouba is observed on the second day of the new moon in the Manipuri month of Hiyangei or November. Lui_Ngai_Ni is a collective festival of the Nagas observed on the 15th day of February every year and it is a seed-sowing festival; they offer prayers to the deities. The tribes belonging to the Naga group begin their cultivation thereafter. In the Kwak Jatra, Goddess Durga is worshipped with pomp and ceremony in this festival. It is celebrated in the month of October and represents the triumph of righteousness over evil.
Social gathering, songs, dances and rejoicing highlight the Manipur temple festivals. These festivals also play a great role in boosting the morale and strengthening the bond of Naga solidarity.
