Chakaan Gaan-Ngai: The living religious and cultural festival
- Part 3 -

Chaoba Kamson *

Gaan Ngai Celebrations in Imphal :: December 29 2009

Background story:

It was a common feature of quarreling and killing between gods and men when Tingpurengsonnang was the patriarch of the common dormitory. Accordingly, Tingpurengsonnang made a judgment and allowed them to live separately. Gods repeatedly made request to Tingpurengsonnang to allow them to participate and enjoy the celebration of Gaan-Ngai with men.

At last, Tingpurengsonnang agreed on one condition that they should give good blessings [wellbeing and prosperity] to men on the last day of the festival. Gods also agreed with what Tingpurengsonnang said. So man blows horn of cow or mithun inviting all the gods to participate in the Gaan-Ngai festival. Because of this reason, TRC people perform Raren-Loumei at northern village gate on the last day of the festival.

The seven brother gods and unhatched god are given below:

Name     Power and functions

1. Ragwang The King of the Gods of the earth [Lower Realm] also known as Na-Ragwang/ Anbaan Ragwang
2. Bisnu [Manchanu/ Buichanu/Bonchanu]
The most powerful god on earth who looks after the affairs of men, nature and animals and communicates with men through the medium of priest
3. Napsinmei [Laorangmei] The god in charge of food grains
4. Chonchai Adverse to wine, he looks after the health of men...
5. Charakilongmei The god who keeps peace and ward off disturbance on earth
6. Koklou The Peipou, the owner of the office of gods' court
7. Karangong The god who is a teaser of unruly and misbehaved persons particularly youth. Healer of man suffering from dizziness
8. Dimei The deity who could not hatch and remains under the earth

The abodes of the divine brothers are as follows:
(i) Ragwang [Anbaan Ragwang/Na-Ragwang] took residence at Mt. Koubru
(ii) Bisnu's abode is at holy cave, Bhuvan Hills
(iii) Napsinmei's abode is at the peak of Napsinmei Hill, Ganglon Namthan in the old Cachar Road
(iv) Chonchai resides at the Mt. Kasokbut, Taosang Khullen village in Tamenglong District
(v) Charakilongmei lives at a mountain peak of Bena village [Thonglang] at the Western spur of Koubru mountain
(vi) Koklou resides at the peak over the Pongringlong village in the Koubru mountain
(vii) Dimei remains under the earth

Rangpat Tamcha:

Banjas will bring Rangpat Tamcha in the form of eatable, slat-cake, material etc. which are equally distributed to all Banjas but Gaanchangs are not entitled to enjoy it.

Rangpat Puan:

Both the dormitories Khangchu and Luchu will hand over Puan meaning money as a scapegoat [Pumlin] of boys and girls to the members of village authority.

Khupot Laitatmei:

The hanging pipe made of bamboo which was earlier distributed at every household to store the diseases of epidemic inside the pipe will be collected after pouring wine into the pipe and cover its mouth with cotton. This pipe will be thrown away beyond the village gate by the village elders.

Maru Zou (Longevity wine):

A Banja will declare to all the villagers to come and collect the Maru Zou. It is believed, if drunken, it is good for health and will have longevity of life.

Filling up the vacant post:

If there is any vacant post in a village authority [Peikai] before the Gaan-Ngai festival, the said vacant post is filled up on this day of Raangpatmei by a suitable senior most person. It is formally declared by a Banja with an iron-hoe in his hand in the name of Tingkao Ragwang. Besides, any promotion from Khangbon to Gaanchang, Gaanchang to Banja, Banja to khunbu or khullak etc., from married woman to old woman is decided on this particular day. Prior invitation [Kaphaan-Timei] is given to the proposed invitee(s) with a local salt cake for the next year.

Bukaomei [calling of soul]:

After the performance of Ralen Loumei, the village elders will return to the village Pei where another ritual ceremony known as Bukaomei will be performed. A big cock will be sacrificed after chanting the hymns invoking Tingkao Ragwang to allow returning the soul [which temporarily escapes from the body because of startling news or action caused by accident] to its original place, human body. The cooked chicken will be eaten by the elders and pieces of the meat will also be distributed to every household. The important works done during the Gaan –Ngai festival are as follows:

1-Religious Activities:

(a) Worship to Tingkao Ragwang to protect men from death or danger and to provide longevity of life, welfare and prosperity for the coming years.
(b) Worship of all gods of Zeliangrong pantheon on the last day of the festival
(c) Performance of calling of paddy of goddess to restore the consumed and wasted rice during the festival
(d) Worship to presiding deities in the early morning of the first day invoking them not to cause any kind of disturbances during the festival.
(e) Farewell ritual to the departed souls who leave the house and go to the land of the dead [Taroiram] after the Gaan-Ngai festival.

2-Cultural Activities:

(a) Singing of folk songs competition between boys and girls at girls' dormitory (b) Beating of traditional drum in different types, playing of Rah-Jaimei (c) Performance of cultural dance, Pazeimei, farewell dance in honour to the heads of male dormitory (d) Youth sing village guarding songs throughout the night guarding against any unwanted incidents in the village [Kailong Lonmei] 3-Customary Activities: (a) Admission of new members [boys and girls] to respective dormitories
(b) Promotion from minor to major [boys and girls] by giving a piece of pork, piercing with a string
(c) Promotion from Khangbon to Gaanchang, Gaanchang to Banja, filling up of vacant post of Khunbu, Khunlak etc.
(d) Newly wedded women are formally admitted to women institution
(e) Pig thighs are given away to those members belonging to both dormitories who died before the festival
(f) Those deceased families also offer last gifts to the dormitories in the name of the deceased.

4-Games and Sports Activities:

Games and sports are carried out such as shot-put, long-jump, Javelin throw, wrestling etc. on the jumping ground on the opening day of the festival.

5-Maintenance of Discipline:

(a) Teaching of discipline is strictly enforced by the village Ganpis to boys and girls to maintain peace and understanding during the festival.
(b) An act of issuance of whip [Thing-ngun Kadimei] is performed at male dormitory. The objective of issuance of whip is to teach boys to obey what the elders say, to carry out the works assigned to them. As a customary practice, an arrangement is made to beat the boys nominally exhorting to pay much attention to works. The young boys request to the elders producing a bottle of wine not to beat them. If the request is accepted, they may be exempted from beating. The girls' dormitory also follows the same rule. In case the boys are to be beaten, a youngest Gaanpi will handle the whip whereas at the girls' dormitory, Tunapi [one of the heads of girls] will handle the twisted cloth and beat all the girls.

6-Unity and Love:

In the morning, of the first day, a pig is offered to Tingkao Ragwang and the pork curry mixed with blood called Jeigan is eaten by the members of Khangchu. This is for preservation of unity, love and brotherhood of the community. It is a kind of oath taking ceremony. Any kind of activities such as singing of song, dancing, chanting of Hoi, shouldering any burden, sharing of sorrow or joy, all kinds of work of the people, enjoy, eat and drink together. In this theme, Zeigan Tumei is performed. Therefore, Gaan-Ngai festival brings unity, love, peace and brotherhood with each other.

Lastly, I on behalf of the Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak Phom, Assam, Manipur and Ngaland greet the people of Zeliangrong to enjoy the Gaan-Ngai festival joyously and heartily. Further, I wish all a happy and prosperous life with the coming of New Year, 2012.

Concluded ....