Few days back on one of his visits to Manipur, my husband was fortunate enough to attend the festival of Lai Haroaba, in the states of Manipur. The festival of Lai Haroaba is celebrated every year in the month of May. He attended the Maibi Dance, a dance form performed in this particular festival. I do not know much about the festival, so just sharing the beautiful photographs he clicked there. Below are some informations I collected from Wikipedia......
Wikipedia Information : Lai Haraoba is a Manipuri festival, and is associated with Meiteis, celebrated to please traditional deities.Celebrated in honour of the sylvan deities known as Umang Lai,the festival represents the worship of traditional deities and ancestors. The festival is in part a recollection of the creation stories played the deities with the first origin of this universe and evolution of the plants and animals through the will of Atiya Shidaba. Translated, Lai Haraoba means "merry making of the Gods".
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| The musicians |
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| The drummers and singers |
Wikipedia Information : The origin of the festival is that the gods held the first Lai Haraoba on the Koubru hill, so that their descendants should imitate them and perform the same as it had been done by the deities so that they will never forget the secret and sacred story of the creation of this universe and the birth of the different lives on this earth.
Wikipedia Information : The participants, the maiba and maibis (priest and priestesses), the dolairengba (the bearers of the palanquin), the pena khongba (the player of an indigenous string instrument), the chong paibas (the special umbrella bearers), the sword and spear (Thang-Ta) bearers, Kwagok-Sengok pubas (the bearers of the ornamented vessels for betel nuts, flower and money for donations and awards to the top participants) and all the other members who should take part in this festival strictly follow the disciples of keeping celibacy during the festival.
Fascinating read! Lovely captures too!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, Ranita. Dance plays a big part in celebrations in your country, it really is lovely.
ReplyDeletelovely people of manipur and your snaps.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, fantastic photos:) Greetings
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I love the pink color the ladies are wearing! Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos Ranita, so colorful and festive. Happy photos indeed :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post and Great photos, Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting and fascinating
ReplyDeleteNever knew before. Thanks for the intro. Thanks also for the beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteWonderful and informative post, and lovely photos. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis was so much fun to see, Ranita. I also found it interesting to see the same shape of the umbrellas that we saw in Thailand. I love seeing the different clothing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful glimpses of festival.
ReplyDeletereading first time about the festival .. beautiful
ReplyDeleteBikram