The 248th Heikru Hidongba festival was celebrated in Imphal with traditional rituals, a boat race and cultural performances, with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla attending the event.
IMPHAL — The 248th edition of the Heikru Hidongba festival was celebrated with traditional fervour and devotion at the Bijoy Govinda moat in Sagolband, Imphal West.
Organised by the Bijoy Govinda Sevayet Committee, the annual festival is observed on the 11th day of Langban, the sixth month of the Manipuri lunar calendar. The festival is traditionally held to invoke prosperity, peace and well-being for the community.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, accompanied by his wife Jyoti Bhalla, attended the festival and witnessed the traditional boat race and other rituals associated with the occasion.
MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh and other dignitaries, along with thousands of devotees and spectators, witnessed the boat race, which remains the highlight of the festival.
The event featured colourful boats, devotional chants and cultural performances, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
At the conclusion of the boat race, the Governor presented the Governor’s Trophy and a cash award to the winning team.
Heikru Hidongba, first celebrated in 1779 during the reign of King Bhagyachandra, has been carried forward through generations and remains an important part of Manipur’s cultural and spiritual heritage.
The festival combines traditional rituals and community participation while seeking divine blessings for good fortune, agricultural abundance and the well-being of the people.
As part of the rituals, special garlands are prepared using 108 gooseberries (heikru) and 108 rice grains, with each grain carefully removed from its husk. The offerings symbolise purity, prosperity and collective well-being.
The traditional boat race also carries spiritual significance. A twin boat is traditionally sanctified in the presence of the deity, accompanied by Sankirtana, prayers and aarti before the race.