Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday urged people to celebrate the traditional New Year festival Cheiraoba in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Greetings to the people of Manipur on the auspicious occasion of Cheiraoba. On the onset of a new year, let us renew our fraternal bond and unity among different communities and strive for bringing inclusive development in the State. Pl.celebrate in your home,” he tweeted.
Greetings to the people of Manipur on the auspicious occasion of Cheiraoba. On the onset of a new year, let us renew our fraternal bond and unity among different communities and strive for bringing inclusive development in the State. Pl.celebrate in your home.#StayHomeStaySafe
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) April 13, 2020
The traditional lunar new year festival of the state, also known as Sajibu Nongma Panba is celebrated with great fanfare by the people of the state.
The day begins with a ritual of worshipping and offering of traditional food offerings to their local deity Lainingthou Sanamahi in the morning following which the people prepare various kinds of local delicacies for a sumptuous feast later.
After the dishes are prepared, they are ritually offered at the front gate and rear gate of the house following which the dishes are exchanged with relatives and friends as a means to strengthen their bonds.
The people then feast together with their families following which they climb a small hillock specially prepared by the community near the locality to pay homage to the hill deity, signifying the elevation of the spirit to reach the divine.