Hou Chongba : Fraternal bond only with indigenes this year

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 15 : All preparations have been made to celebrate the Mera Hou Chongba festival on October 17.
This year, the festival will be exclusively of the indigenous communities. A large number of people and more than 100 chiefs of hill villages will attend the festival, said the organisers.
The festival will be hosted by the State Level Organising Committee on Mera Houchongba 2024 and Mera Hou Chongba Sana Konung Thoushil Lup.
Speaking to reporters at the office of the Department of Art and Culture at Palace Compound,  Mera Hou Chongba Sana Konung Thoushil Lup convenor, Mutum Maniton Meetei said the Mera Hou Chongba festival celebrates the bond of love between the valley and hills on 15th of Meitei Lunar month Mera every year.
This year, the festival on October 17 will be exclusively for the members of indigenous communities. Only the members of the indigenous communities have been invited for the festival, he said.
At least 21 indigenous communities, including Tangkhul, Thanga, Poumai, Mao, Maram, Rongmei, Kabui, Zeme, Inpui, Anal, Maring, Moyon, Lamkang, Chothe, Tarao, Koireng, Aimol, Kharam, Kom, Chiru and Monshang, have confirmed their participation. More are likely to send confirmation to join the celebration, Maniton said.
So far, a total of 100 chiefs of villages have confirmed participation.
120 delegations of cultural troupes will take part in the celebration.
The celebration will feature 9 cultural programmes of the hills. Other programmes to be showcased include Leima Jagoi, Phousha Jagoi, Pung and Pena Cholom, Andro Jagoi etc.
Members of communities from the hills will begin arriving tomorrow morning. The members of the communities and chiefs will be received by titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba at 5 pm (October 16) at Sana Konung. On Mera Hou Chongba on October 17, people will congregate at Sana Konung at 8 am and march towards Kangla.
At Kangla, a lamp will be lit and raised, and other rituals will be performed.
The cultural programmes will begin from 12.30 pm.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh will attend the day as the chief guest and titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba will preside over the event. Ministers, MLAs and top officials of the Government will attend the celebration.
The Mera Hou Chongba festival will instill and strengthen the bond between the indigenous people in the valley and the hills. It will help unite the people as one and deepen the ties of coexistence, said the organisers.