Ningol Chakouba

Ningol Chakouba is one of the most significant social festivals of Manipur, celebrating the special bond between married women (Ningol) and their parental families. The term "Ningol" refers to married women, and "Chakouba" means invitation to a feast. On this day, married women are invited to their parental homes for a sumptuous feast and are presented with gifts as tokens of love and affection.

This festival strengthens family bonds and promotes unity and love between brothers and sisters, parents and daughters. It has transcended its original Meitei community boundaries and is now celebrated by various communities in Manipur, making it a symbol of the state's cultural unity.

Ningol Chakouba has been celebrated in Manipur for centuries as part of the traditional Meitei culture. The festival originated as a way to strengthen family ties and ensure the well-being of married daughters who had moved to their husband's homes, as was the custom.

In traditional Manipuri society, once a woman was married, her visits to her parental home became less frequent due to social customs and practical constraints. Ningol Chakouba provided a formal occasion for these women to reconnect with their birth families, share their experiences, and receive blessings and support from their parents and brothers.

Over time, the festival has evolved from a family event to a broader social celebration, with the government of Manipur even declaring it a state holiday. While maintaining its core values of familial love and respect, it has adapted to modern times and now includes participation from all communities in Manipur.

Ningol Chakouba celebrations involve several traditional practices:

• Invitation: Brothers formally invite their sisters (married women) to their parental home for the feast.
• Preparation of Feast: The parental family prepares an elaborate feast with a variety of traditional dishes, often including fish, which is considered auspicious in Manipuri culture.
• Dressing Up: Married women dress in their finest traditional attire, typically wearing the Phanek (traditional Manipuri sarong) and Innaphi (traditional shawl), along with jewelry.
• The Feast: The feast is served with great care and respect, often on traditional banana leaves or plates made of bell metal.
• Gift Exchange: After the feast, brothers present gifts to their sisters, which may include clothing, jewelry, household items, or money. In return, sisters may bring fruits, sweets, or other items for their parental family.
• Blessings: Elders bless the married women, wishing them happiness, prosperity, and well-being in their married lives.
• Community Celebrations: In recent years, community-level Ningol Chakouba celebrations have become common, where women from different communities are invited for a feast and cultural programs.

Ningol Chakouba is known for its elaborate feast, which includes a variety of traditional Manipuri dishes:

• Fish Dishes: Various preparations of fish, which is an essential part of the feast. The most prized is the Sareng (Wallago attu), a freshwater fish considered auspicious.
• Eromba: A traditional dish made with boiled vegetables, fermented fish, and chili.
• Chamthong: A vegetable stew that is a staple in Manipuri cuisine.
• Kangshoi: A light soup made with seasonal vegetables.
• Ooti: A dish made with peas and other vegetables.
• Chak-hao Kheer: A sweet pudding made with black rice, milk, and sugar.
• Various chutneys and pickles: To complement the main dishes.

The feast typically includes at least seven different dishes, symbolizing abundance and variety.