Manipur Celebrates Bonding of Siblings with Ningol Chakouba Festival

Guwahati: Manipur dedicates a day for celebrating the love and bonding among the siblings with Ningol Chakouba festival.

The Ningol Chakouba is a festival celebrated by the people of Manipur that allows siblings to eat together and enjoys some quality time at their parental house after sister's marriage. It is one of the most largest and popular festival celebrated across Manipur. The term 'Ningo' means daughters and 'Chakouba' means feastAccording to traditional believe, the festival dates back to the fourth century. Married Women are invited to thier parent's house along with thier children for lunch. The Festival is celebrated on the second day of New Moon in the Manipuri month of Hiyangei(October/November)

Lunch invitation wrapped in betel leaf with betel nuts to married sisters are send by the brothers or other male members in the house. Women wear their finest traditional Manipuri dress, accessories and visit their parent's house with various eatables, like fruits, snacks and sweets. After lunch, daughters are presented with gifts from their parents and showered with blessings for a long and healthy life.

Traditional dishes like Nga-touba (fish fry), Sinju (vegetable salad with fermented fish), chamfut (boiled vegetables), soibum thongba (fermented bamboo shoot curry), Uti (classical Manipuri vegetarian dish) are some of the delicious cuisines prepared on this festival.

Several social organisation also organise "Ningol Chakouba" in diffrent parts of Manipur to build unity and prosperity

Like the previous years, this year too Annual fish fair-cum fish crop competition was organised by the Department of Fisheries, Government of Manipur at DM College of Arts Ground, Thameiband for Ningol Chakouba on Thursday. More than 70 stalls took part in the competition. Participants from Thoubal district. Ukhrul district, Senapati district, Imphal East. Imphal West and Bishnupur district took part in the competition. A variety of fish were displayed for the competition and sale

Expressing her views on the fish fair, Pinky, a Fish buyer said. " it is good to organise such fairs because it makes a variety of fishes available at a low price at one place. It saves time and maoney"

Keeping in pace with the festival, 17th edition of the "Ningol Nachom", a musical event was being organised by Young Voluntary Organisation (YVO) at THAU ground, Thameiband on Friday. Well known artist performed their popular songs in the event.

Different market areas in Manipur were seen crowded with buyers on the occasion of Ningol Chakouba festival Parents brought gifts for their married daughters.

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