IMPHAL, June 20 – All the important roads and colonies were filled with kangs (chariots) of various shapes and sizes on Saturday afternoon as the Manipuri Hindus celebrated ‘Kang Chingba’, one of the biggest festivals of this border State. Despite the seasonal downpour, Kang Chingba (known as rath yatra in other parts of the country), this time too the festival was celebrated throughout the State with traditional fervour.
The main festival was held at the complex of the Shree Shree Gobindajee temple in Imphal East district with its traditional touch, unlike the one celebrated in Puri, Orissa. It is somewhat similar to the rath yatra taken out in Puri. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh along with his Council of Ministers attended the pulling of the kang from the gate of the Shree Shree Govindji temple upto the entrance of the Palace Gate, about 300 metres from the temple compound. Prior to pulling of the kang, the ministers prayed to Lord Jaganath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhrada atop the chariot in presence of other devotees and pilgrims.
While the Govindji temple kang was the biggest in the festival, one of the smallest kangs belonged to the native place of internationally-accalimed theatre personality Padmashree Ratan Thiyam. The sudden downpour in and around the Imphal city on Saturday afternoon dampened the spirits of the youngsters for a while. But as soon as the rain stopped the kangs were taken out from all leikais (colonies) with groups of palas (musicians) along with the resepective Sebaris Bramhins.
Kang Chingba has always been one of the major festivals of Manipur, especially among the predominantly Vaishnavite Meitei Hindus in the Manipur Valley. Manipuri Hindus of the Northeast as well as those in the northern province of neighbouring Myanmar also celebrate it with pomp and gaiety arranging feasts at their respective mandaps.
The practice started in Manipur way back in 1833, when Maharaj Gambhirjit was the ruler of the State.