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Monday, October 28, 2002
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Materialistic Interpretation
A cursory look at the calendar will reveal that Manipur is undoubtedly a land of festival and while there is nothing wrong in celebrating the myriad number of festivals lined up in each year we need to draw the line when celebrating these festivals is reduced to an exercise of gross waste and at times vulgar display of wealth. Nothing can be more disgusting when the real essence of celebrating the festival is relegated to the back ground and the uncouth and uncultured elements come to the fore.
During the last few years, festivals in Manipur have increasingly become another occasion for crude display of materialistic wealth that do nothing but lead to wastage of time and money and given the acute financial condition the State is in right now we may as well question the wisdom of celebrating such festivals in the scale that we are witnessing today. So grossly have we misinterpreted the meaning of celebrating the numerous festivals here that Yaoshang or rather Holi has been reduced to a full five day festivities that do nothing but jar our nerves and lead to numerous road accidents.
Durga Puja, which epitomizes the triumph of the good over the evil, is today reduced to late night tambolas and dance presentation by effeminate males. Christmas too has come to be synonymous with late night parties especially on Christmas Eve. Another festival that has been blurred beyond recognition is Rath Yatra. Today Rath Yatra in Manipur has come to mean waste and more waste and one only has to go through the lanes and by lanes of Imphal to see the nullahs and drains filled with waste from the feasts that are held continuously for days. We comment upon the festivals today because another festival is just round the corner.
Ningol Chakkouba, one of the most important festivals of the Manipuris, is just round the corner and come November 6 every household will welcome their sisters, aunts etc to a grand lunch. There is something very beautiful about this festival as it allows the married women to come back to their natal homes and share a meal with their parents and brothers. It is not only a question of sharing a meal that is striking but the bond that ties the sisters and brothers. The institution of marriage, raising a family and the patriarchal system of the Manipuri society means that brothers and sisters who shared the same roof and meal and fought over small things during their growing years suddenly find themselves living separately and raising their own families.
It is significant that in the midst of the busy struggle to get on with life we have earmarked a special day for the sisters to come and share a meal with their brothers. However we see that over the years such sentimental values attached to this festival have been greatly dehumanized. Today, to many, Ningol Chakkouba has come to mean not reaffirming the bond that tie the brothers and sisters but a day of lavish gifts and crass materialism. Situation has come to such a pass that the unfortunate ones who are placed on the lower rung of the economic ladder no longer look forward to this day.
We admit that with globalization and economic reforms societal values have undergone a sea change and today we are veering towards a consumerist society but amidst all these, is it really justified to interpret Ningol Chakkouba only along the line of the materialistic world? Think about it. Can’t we just demonstrate our love for our sisters without all the trappings of wealth? Or should sibling ties be interpreted and nurtured only along the material line?
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)
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