Anal Naga tribe in Manipur celebrates post harvest festival

Chandel (Manipur), Nov.17 (ANI): The vibrant tribal culture came alive recently in Chandel district of Manipur, as the Chavan Kumhrin, a post harvest festival of the Anal Naga tribe, was celebrated here.

The festival saw the confluence of old and new traditions in a thoroughly creative manner.

Preserving the age-old traditions of Anal Naga tribe, the post harvest festival 'Chavan Kumhrin' was celebrated with fanfare and enthusiasm.

Themed "Culture for Unification", the festival was celebrated at the Maha union Govt. Higher Secondary School ground, Japhou in Chandel.

'Chavan' denotes autumn and 'Kumhrin' means New Year, thus Chavan Kumhrin is interpreted as the arrival of autumn season. During the annual festival, the Anal villagers bring part of what they harvest for the blessings of village elders and leaders.

This is done for a good harvest, health and prosperity.

"This Chavan Kumhring festival is being held from past many years by our forefathers. Our own father, when the new season comes in, with autumn season coming and the cultivation from the field. At the same time, our forefathers planned to welcome the new season, the plants, the products, the seeds we have obtained from the field," said HL Lovingson, Organizer, of the Chavan Kumhring Festival.

The festival, which was earlier celebrated only by the Anal tribe, has now become a common festival for all the tribes inhabiting Chandel district. It showed cultural dances and songs of the various tribes of Chandel including Anal, Lamkang, Chothe, Moyon, Monsang, Zou, Kuki and also the Manipuri traditional Thang-ta.

As part of the celebration several competitions for students in various subjects including mathematics, science GK, literature were also held during the festival.

"I am really happy to participate in the festival. Through this we are able to interact with different tribes in the district for peace, unity and co-existence," said Prem Tarao, a participant at the Chavan Kumhring Fest.

"I feel so excited and glad to see so many people from different communities gathered here to experience the unique love God has given unto us and to experience it while we are living on earth," said Zacsha, a resident in Chandel.

The celebration was a mixed bag with modern and traditional fashion parades.

"Chamdil Idol" was introduced in this year's festival to highlight talented artistes of Chandel district through modern and traditional songs.

The 'Chavan Kumhrin' in recent years has emerged as a major festival, which evokes unity among the tribes of Nagaland. (ANI)