Manipur celebrates Ningol Chakouba as MLA calls for peace and unity
Nungba Assembly Constituency MLA Dinganglung Gangmei described married women as messengers of peace during the traditional festival in Imphal.
Manipur celebrated the traditional Ningol Chakouba festival on November 11, as married women reunited with their parental families for feasts and gift exchanges, according to ANI and The Assam Tribune.
Speaking in Imphal, Nungba Assembly Constituency MLA Dinganglung Gangmei described married women as "peace messengers and agents of love." He said the gathering offered a chance to promote mutual understanding and strengthen bonds between different communities.
Gangmei noted that the festival, which celebrates the connection between married sisters and their parental homes, is similar to the tradition of Raksha Bandhan. He stated that intermarriages throughout the 2,000-year history of Manipur have shaped the social fabric of the state.
The celebrations included visits to parents and siblings, often with children. In Imphal, the Traffic Control Police Wing deployed personnel to manage heavy vehicular movement, while shopping for gifts and fish was concentrated in areas like Thangal Bazar and Paona Bazar.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla extended greetings to the people. Ahead of the festival, the Chief Minister announced Rs 5.88 crore in financial assistance from the State Emergency Fund for 58,863 eligible internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Under this initiative, Rs 1,000 was transferred to each beneficiary through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) before Diwali and Ningol Chakouba.