Our Correspondent
Imphal, Oct. 9 (EMN): Mera Houchongba, a festival to promote solidarity and integrity among different ethnic communities of Manipur was celebrated at the historic Kangla Fort on Sunday.
Age-old rituals were performed, gifts were exchanged and cultural items were presented by different communities during the celebration.
On the occasion, a colourful cultural procession was also held in the morning from Royal Palace to Kangla Fort, which traversed the main roads in the city.
The procession was led by Lok Sabha MP and the titular king, Leishemba Sanajaoba, and joined in by people coming from different parts of the state in their traditional attires. Ministers and MLAs also attended the festival.
At Kangla, the titular king hoisted Mera Thaomei, the traditional lamp and age-old rituals like Mera Men Tongba and Yenkhong Tamba were performed to strengthen the bonds among people of different ethnic communities.
Speaking to reporters on the sideline of the observation, MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, said that the Mera Houchongba festival which is also known as a common customary festival is more than 2000 years old.
He also was of the view that with the herald of the festival, love, peace and prosperity will prevail in the state.
Mera Houchongba - a traditional customary festival of all ethnic groups of Manipur, falls on the 15th lunar day of Mera month of the Manipuri calendar. On this day, people from hills come down to the valley and gather at the Royal Palace, and display cultural dances and other art forms.
The day ends with a grand feast, held together, to show solidarity and oneness of all the ethnic groups in the region.