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Manipuri Meitei community organises traditional ‘Thabal Chumba’ festival


Published : 04 Apr 2022 09:45 PM

The traditional ‘Thabal Chumba’ festival of Manipuri Meitei community was held in front of Manipuri Cultural Complex in Tetai village area of Adampur union of Kamalganj upazila. 

This year the Manipuri Maitai community celebrates ‘Cherauba’ or New Year together with the traditional ‘Thabal Chumba’ festival. The daylong festival started on Saturday morning and continue till midnight.

On the occasion of 'Cherauba' or New Year's Eve, the day was started with a procession and the national anthem. Besides there were painting competition, discussion meeting, worship of the deity (Sharoya Khanangba) and various other activities throughout the day.

There was a special attraction Thabal Chumba dance at the night. According to the customs of their own culture, the neat and attractive clothes of the young women were dazzling. A different kind of thabal chumba dance and religious song were observed. Towards the end of the program, at midnight, the young women were happy with the Thabal Chumba dance. Thousands of people enjoyed such a lively and captivating view. The gathering of people of Manipuri Meitei community of different ages from different parts of the country was amazing.

One of the two entrances to the boys. And the other girls. There are also specific boundaries for visitors. Shambhuratan Singh, a 95-year-old artist sitting in a circle in the middle of the pandal, along with two other artists, Mangalaima Chanu and Nirmala Devi. 

Those artists have received special training in Thabal Chumba songs at home and abroad. Listening to their traditional song, Manipuri youths, teenagers and people of different ages rushed to the field. Adolescents, young men and women and young women enter in groups in that special round pandal. The children also danced on the occasion. There are songs of various sentiments in their own language with high melody and musical instruments. Manipuri boys and girls of different ages danced to the beat of musical instruments on the open stage.

This skillful and captivating dance is thoroughly enjoyed by the spectators of all ages. Following the custom, the dance continues till late at night in several episodes. In the last episode, all these arrangements and dances are offered in the name of the creator in the form of dragon by tightening the handcuffs according to the strict rules.

Students Sania Singh, Uday Singh and Lairik Singh, who took part in the dance, said, “After a long time, this festival is being organized and we are enjoying it together. This feeling of joy is different.” 

Thabal Chumba dance is an exceptional way for young men and women to find a life partner. Niranjan Singh Raju, founder of Bhanubil Middle Village Community Base Tourism and Shant Kumar Singh, a teacher, said that the people of Manipuri Meitei community of 14 villages of Kamalganj Upazila have organized ‘Chairauba’ and ‘Thabal Chumba’ festivals this year.

Due to Covid-19, they have not been able to perform on such a large scale for the last two years. Nearly thousands of young men and women participated in the Thabal Chumba dance. And the audience was about 3000. This is the biggest New Year celebration of Manipuris in 

the country.