Pune: AMAND Organizes Festivity For Manipuri Community
Pune, 22nd November 2022: The Association of Manipuri Diaspora (AMAND) Pune, registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 at Pune, Maharashtra, is a non-profit, non-government community organization founded by working/retired Manipuri professionals who are residing in and around Pune.
AMAND Pune organized Meitei’s age-old festivity “Ningol Chakouba” after a gap of two years (due to the pandemic) on Sunday, 20th November 2022 at Don Bosco Youth Centre in Koregaon Park, Pune. The festival’s theme, which is to strengthen the filial bond of love between the ningols (ladies) and the pibas (gents) with a sumptous traditional feast together was celebrated in a grand manner with about 400 attendees, including the Tangkhul, Zeliangrong, Chiru, Khasi, Assamese, and Marathi sisters and brothers, as well as Manipuri families and individuals from Mumbai and Ranjangaon. Different community members, especially women, who were invited as guests to be part of the rich Manipuri culture, came in their respective traditional attires, blending beautifully with the Meitei’s elegant traditional attires.
The Ningols came with athenpot, such as kom kwa, kabok, sitamishri, laloo, and fruits (for the pibas) carrying the athenpot with sengas on their heads, following the age-old Meitei tradition cum ritual for the beginning of an auspicious event. Families of the office bearers and members of the Mumbai Manipuri Association (MMA) also came with athenpot for their brothers and uncles of AMAND.
AMAND male members – for the mega feast – prepared the Manipuri traditional food, such as nga matum thongba, nga atoiba thongba, laphu iromba, singju, ooti, Chak-hao kheer, and many such Manipuri delicacies. Everyone enjoyed the delicious Manipuri food which was cooked with love, especially for the ningols and their children.
The AMAND pibas presented gifts to all the ladies, girls, and boys, with customised gifts who were present for the Ningol Chakouba occasion, including three visiting mothers, 105 mous (married ladies), and 110 leisabis (single ladies) after the luscious mega feast. After receiving the gifts, the ningols blessed the brothers and the uncles (all gents) for prosperity, good health, and an abundance of happiness in life. There were also many entertainment activities such as live Manipuri songs, along with the tambola game, a selfie contest, and thabal chngba (Manipuri traditional folk dance).
AMAND Pune acknowledges with deep gratitude everyone who attended the festival and all the volunteers who worked hard for weeks in the preparation for this mega festival. AMAND President Kulabidhu Chanam welcomed and thanked all the attendees who made the event a grand success.
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