Standing in support of the victims of the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, the Meitei womenfolk on Wednesday forwent ‘Ningol Chakkouba,’ their biggest festival, even as several groups of them staged hunger strikes at various places in the valley districts of the strife-torn state as a mark of respect to those killed in the six-month-long ethnic clashes.


Ningol Chakouba, which the Meitei community celebrates after Diwali, is similar to Bhai Dooj except that in Manipur it is the brothers who welcome their sisters from their matrimonial homes for a grand feast. On this day, the Meitei womenfolk, especially those who are married, put on their best traditional attires, visit their natal homes and enjoy an array of dishes with their siblings and parents. But this year’s Ningol Chakkouba wore a gloomy look with business establishments at Kwairamband Keithel in Imphal city, the key commercial hub of the state, coming to a grinding halt. Very few people were seen on the streets.


Several groups of women sat on a hunger strike in the valley areas in solidarity with the victims of the ethnic violence that began on May 3.


Wednesday’s show of solidarity was also marked by floral tributes paid to those who lost their lives in the enduring violent conflict. A large number of young women converged at the Western Gate of Kangla, the site of the ancient capital of Manipur, and lit candles, and incense sticks and offered flowers to the portraits of those who were killed in the conflict, it said.


This comes a couple of days after people in the valley districts of the northeastern state in the same line of discontentment switched off the lights of their homes for 10 minutes on the occasion of Diwali, as per a press release.  


 “Owing to the current crisis which has remained unresolved for over the past six months, with over 60,000 people displaced from their homes, and many getting killed, how can we celebrate Ningol Chakkouba this year?,” lamented women activist, Thounaojam Ashakiran of Kongba in Imphal East district.


Ashakiran along with a group of women took to the streets at Kongba Bazar to express their solidarity of not celebrating the festival.


“This year’s Ningol Chakkouba will go down in the history of Manipur as one of the darkest days as the age-old tradition has been sidelined to show solidarity with the victims of violence on the day,” she added.


Ashakiran appealed to both the central and the state governments to sincerely work towards bringing about a lasting peace so that the displaced people can safely return to their respective homes without any fear.


Hundreds of displaced women wearing black clothes and holding placards in their hands which read, “We bow in respect to our heroes who sacrificed their lives for the motherland” gathered on the roadside as a mark of sit-in solidarity at the Palace Compound area in Imphal East district.


“Meitei women keep counting days for a day like Ningol Chakkouba. We join our parents and siblings in the best of our attire for a family reunion over a multi-cuisine lunch on this day. But this time, we decided to wear black clothes as a mark of respect to our brothers and sisters who have laid down their lives to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur,” said Kshetrimayum Chaobi, a displaced woman from Tengnoupal district’s Moreh.


The festival of Diwali and Ningol Chakkouba is the time of the year when there is an increase in commercial activities, but due to the ongoing conflict, this year saw a sharp decline in sales margin, the release added.  


Khaidem Somen, who runs a departmental store at Keishampat in the heart of Imphal city said, “Usually during these festivals, a day’s sales reach up to Rs three lakh but this time, the sales margin hardly reached Rs. 10,000.”


Echoing the same sentiment, Leitanthem Subita, who has been selling fruits for more than a decade at the Ima Keithel (Women’s Market) at Khwairamband Keithel area in Imphal said, “Sales margin reach up to Rs one lakh every year during Diwali and Chakkouba festivals but this time, I had to content myself with just sales of Rs. 20,000,” Subita stated.