This year, a decision on Ningol Chakkouba is still being debated as the ethnic conflict show no signs of receding. Two reasons are being cited for foregoing the festival. The first is that, when violence is still on with sporadic attacks by militants from the nearby hills it would be awkward to celebrate the said festival. The second reason is that, several thousand families are still languishing in relief camps while the families of those missing in the violence which began on May 3, 2023 are still mourning. Some families had chosen to seek closure by conducting rituals while many others wait for recovery of the mortal remains of their near and dear ones. Both reasons are valid.
We all are in mourning and the future of those internally displaced families are bleak. But life has to go on and there are several factors in play with regard to the once-in-a-year festival of the Meitei community. Last year, everyone decided to forego with Ningol Chakkouba. Responding to the clarion call from several CSOs and Meira Paibi units in every nook and corner of the valley, most families had made the decision to do away with Ningol Chakkouba this year. Either by own accord in view of the crisis or responding to the call, there was no Ningol Chakkouba on the second day of Hiyanggei. On this day, fathers and brothers would invite the ‘Ningols’ or daughters and sisters to the maternal homes for a yearly get-together.
Well, the occasion is followed by a sumptuous meal and gifts to ‘Ningols’ by the “Pibas’ fathers and brothers who in turn were blessed by the Ningols for longevity and prosperity. But the get-together, sharing of good times and hopes was more important. In the culture and tradition of the Meiteis, once a daughter or sister is married her name is struck off from the rolls of the clan and she becomes a part of the clan of her husband. So, the yearly get-together is very important in the celebration of umbilical links.
Well, that is about the cultural essence of the festival. The other important aspect is about the economic activity revolving around the festival. Besides the sanctity of age-old tradition and ritual, one often talks about the occasion been commercialised to a great extent in recent times leaving the poor families with little means in despair sometimes. The race for high-end gifts and sumptuous feasts had become rather ugly. On the other hand, several CSOs had made it a point to check such extravaganza in gifts.
In recent times, Meira Paibis and local volunteers have made it their job of checking such extravagance. What we must also understand is that, most of the families do not indulge in such high-end gifts or competition, but stick to budget. And most of the Ningols do not mind, as the rare get-together is more important. The Khwairamband Bazar is always crowded during the festival by members of the maternal homes purchasing gifts for the Ningols.
A cursory glance of the gifts purchased in bulk by the families are not that obscene. So, the foregoing of Ningol Chakkouba have had great impact on the local economy of the state, most particularly in the growing fisheries sector also. The state had never been able to meet the requirement of fish. Annually, the state requirement of fish for consumption is about 52,000 metric tons while only about 32,000 metric tons are being produced by the fish farmers in the state annually. This year, the state had a target of 40,000 metric tons production. But, the state government had decided to do away with the Annual Fish Fair respecting the public sentiment last year. It is still not certain, whether the same decision would be there this year also. Here, one has to take into account the endeavour of the fish farmers also as they rely not only daily supplies to the market but also on such big festivals for hawking their produce.
