Maintaining that the festival of Gaan Ngai signifies the spirit of communal unity, strength, peace, harmony, love, and prosperity, UNACSU prayed that peace prevails and comradeship binds all communities in Manipur together
TFM Desk
United All Communities Social Up-Lifters, Kangleipak (UNACSU) on Tuesday extended greetings on the occasion of Gaan Ngai , which is a sacred festival celebrated with universal love and ardour by the Kabui community.
In a message issued by its secretary Nongthombam Gobin, UNACSU stated that the festival of Gang-Ngai signifies the spirit of communal unity, strength, peace, harmony, love, and prosperity. It prayed that peace prevails and comradeship binds all communities in Manipur together.
The statement said in the state of Manipur, there have been several indigenous peoples residing in the ancient kingdom since time immemorial. The indigenous peoples of Manipur are known for their extraordinary culture, distinctive lifestyles, and belief systems and festivals. Of all the indigenous peoples in Manipur, the Kabuis are one of the most eminent communities known for their hospitality and integrity, it added.
Sharing the details about the festival, UNACSU said that Gaan Ngai stands as a synonym for dance, fest, music and spiritual rituals celebrated in the winter season. Popularly known as Chakan Gaan-Ngai and celebrated for straight five days, this exuberant festival is observed in several parts of the state with pomp, fun and a cultural extravaganza.
It said on the first day of the festival, the natives perform sacred rituals to pay obeisance to their ancestors. The rituals include sacred fire making, homage and prayers to the deities for the good health of the community. At the same time, the graves of the ancestors are also embellished with flowers. Thereafter, the next four days are being observed with dance, music and community feast. During this time, males and females of the community, wearing traditional attire, dance on the streets with gay abandon on the rhythm of melodious tunes emanating from traditional musical instruments.
However, the high mark of the festival is the exchange of gifts amongst family members, relatives and friends. With changing times, the warrior instincts of the community have also been channelized into sporting events. Thus, one finds the incorporation of sporting events like long jump, shot put, and many others as a part of Gaan-Ngai. So, you won’t be surprised to see several sporting activities spreading over the Kabui landscapes.