Amid the simmering awareness among the diverse communities in Manipur about their rich traditional and cultural heritage, the state is witnessing efforts being made not only to preserve several dying traditional crafts and art forms but also to revive the socio-cultural diversity of Manipur. One among several initiatives is the one-day Kokhum festival being organised in Imphal on December 10, in a bid to revive the lost Meitei-Pangal culture.
The festival will feature an exhibition-cum-cultural programme which will showcase the traditional arts and crafts of the Meitei-Pangal besides a ramp walk by around 100 models, including transgender and celebrities of the state, the organiser, House of Ali (Bridal Couture), said on Thursday.
The Kokhum festival is not just about entertainment but it is also an effort in reviving the lost culture and tradition followed by the forefathers of Meitei-Pangal community, House of Ali proprietor Yumkhaibam Ali said.
A thorough research work on the culture and tradition of Meitei-Pangal was conducted with guidance from SM Sheikh, a literary enthusiast and the secretary of the Writer Union Manipur, Ali said.
“A person who has lost his or her culture can be compared with a dead soul,” he said, adding, “It is hoped that the festival will serve at least as a minimum effort to preserve and uplift the culture and tradition of Meitei-Pangal”.
According to noted Manipur academician, Raheijuddin Sheikh Dolaipabam (Shamu), who is also the principal of the Lilong Haoreibi College, the Meitei-Pangal are believed to be the descendants of those Muslim warriors who came to Manipur from the Tarap region in Sylhet (now in Bangladesh) during the reign of King Khagemba in 1606 AD.
“They were brought to assist Prince Sanongba in his failed political objective of attaining supremacy over Manipur that was spurred by a fraternal feud. However, after the defeat in the objective of Prince Sanongba, the Muslims were given permission to settle in Manipur and they eventually married Meitei women, establishing a unique kinship relationships with the Meitei community,” he explained.
The Pangals were poor in warfare but also skillful in art and crafts, he said, adding they also brought prosperity to the kingdom by their active participation in economic revolution. The community introduced new technologies in agriculture, pisciculture, handloom and handicrafts, paper making, carpentry, dance and music, cattle rearing and others, he said.
Satisfied with their contribution, the monarchs honoured and rewarded them with lands and wives, he said.
The Pangals were allocated clans in recognition of their skills, thus they became an integral part of the Manipuri Society, he added.
As the culture and traditions followed by the forefathers of Meitei-Pangal are diminishing, it is hoped that the festival will act as a medium to revive and protect the socio-culture of the community.
