Lai Haraoba

Origin

Lai Haraoba (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯏ ꯍꯔꯥꯎꯕ) is a ritualistic festival of the Meiteis observed since ancient times. It is a ritual enactment of the creation myth. It mirrors the entire culture of Manipur and depicts the close affinities between the hill and plain people. It is a combination of religious recitations, traditional music and dance, traditional social values and ancient cultural aspects.

The rituals within the festival are the same except in some items or hymns, such as ikouba, ikourol, and yakairol at the beginning and mikon thagonba, ngaprum tanba at the end of the festival. In the performances, the evolution story with the amorous love-affairs of Nongpok Ninghthou and Panthoibi is depicted and played equally in all kinds of lai haraoba. According to folklore, the gods held the first Lai Haraoba on the Koubru Hill so that their descendants would imitate them by performing the same rites.

Places and timings

Lai Haraoba takes place at local shrines dedicated to the Umang Lai deities, which are important to the traditional Meitei religion. The festival doesn't have fixed dates but happens between February and May or June. Each shrine chooses its own dates for the festival. The festival can last from three days to over a month, depending on the shrine. The dates and length of the festival can be different for each shrine.

Deities

The Lai Haraoba is also called the Umang Lai Haraoba, named after the Umang Lai deities, honored during the festival. These deities are seen as protectors of the areas where the shrines are located. The festival takes place at these shrines, and the whole community helps with the preparations. The Umang Lai group includes over 300 deities, such as ancestors, legendary forefathers, and other important gods in the traditional Meitei religion (Sanamahism).

Male and female aspects

The rituals of Lai Haraoba honor a male and a female deity, called Lainingthou and Lairembi/Lairemma. The rituals focus on creation. The Meitei people believe that the supreme god created the cosmos. He is called Tengbanba Mapu or Taibangpanba Mapu or Atiya Sidaba. Some creation stories start with these gods, while others go back to Atingkok and Amamba. Amamba is the dark place where life begins.

Types and variations

Four types of Lai Haraoba are prevalent in the Meitei society, namely, Kanglei Haraoba, Moirang Haraoba, Kakching Haraoba and Chakpa Haraoba. Kanglei Haraoba is performed mainly in Imphal and the nearby towns. Moirang Haraoba is only in Moirang, Kakching Haraoba is held in Kakching and Chakpa Haraoba is celebrated at Andro, Phayeng, Sekmai, Koutruk, Khuukhul, Leimaram and Tairenpokpi.

Kanglei Haraoba

One type of Lai Haraoba is Kanglei Haraoba, celebrated in and around Imphal. The name Kanglei comes from Kangla, which is in the center of Imphal. The main deity worshipped is Pakhangba. A special part of this festival is when Khoriphaba, a deity, looks for a ‘bride’. A maibi (spirit medium) calls on Khoriphaba's spirit to choose the bride. The festival ends with the nongarol, which shows the rise of the divine presence.

Moirang Haraoba

Moirang Haraoba is celebrated in and around the Moirang region in the southern part of the Imphal valley. The main deity worshipped is Thangching (Thangjing). In this version, along with langthrei leaves (a common offering in the Kanglei version), leisang, another evergreen plant, is also offered. A special part of this festival is the Khamba Thoibi classical dance. The festival ends with tengtharol (a song of lamentation), which marks the rise of the deities.

Chakpa Haraoba

Chakpa Haraoba is not a separate type of the festival, but a group of versions celebrated by Chakpa groups in different villages. The hand movements are simpler, and the structure is less complex. It includes sacrificial practices. The main versions are from Andro, Imphal East and Phayeng villages. In Andro, a special ritual called Numit Kappa (shooting of the sun) is performed, which is unique to them. The Phayeng tradition has special rituals, like "Lai Phagi Tounaba," which are not done in other places.

Kakching Haraoba

Kakching Haraoba is celebrated in the Kakching region, east of Imphal. A special part of the festival is the "Ngaprum Tanba" ritual (hunting of eel) on the last day. People have different opinions on whether it should be a separate type of festival. Some think it should be part of Kanglei, while others think it should be under Chakpa Haraoba. Dr. Kh. Ratankumar Singh sees it as a separate type. However, each shrine often has its own unique practices.

Rituals

The Lai Haraoba rituals are led by special people. There are three old traditions. The three traditions are maiba, maibi, and asheiba (pena (musical instrument) is about the music with a special fiddle). Only men can follow maiba and asheiba. Only women can follow maibi, which is about connecting with spirits.

The Lai Haraoba rituals are detailed and cover many parts. They can be divided into three parts. These parts are the beginning, the middle, and the end. The parts are called Lai Eekouba, Haraoba, and Lairoi respectively. The Lai Eekouba marks the descent of the god (Lai in Meitei language). The Lairoi marks the ascent. The days in between follow a similar pattern. The number of days in between can change. This makes the festival last anywhere from three days to over three weeks.

Lai Eekouba

The Lai Eekouba rituals focus on bringing a sacred presence into the shrine for the festival. Before the rituals, the doors of the shrine, which are usually closed all year, are opened. This is called "lai thong hangba," meaning "opening of the shrine doors." It happens on a lucky day before the Eekouba rituals. After opening, the shrine is cleaned, and sacred images and objects are prepared. The utensils are cleaned, clothes for the ceremonies are washed, and the sacred images are taken out. Sometimes, preparations begin even before opening the shrine, like making rice beer for the event. This process is done with special songs and rituals.

In the Eekouba ritual, the sacred presence is brought through water. This is done at a pond or river. A procession goes from the shrine to the water. There, offerings are made and deities are called. A maibi performs the ritual by chanting and ringing bells. The maibi may go into a trance and speak messages from the spirits. The sacred objects come to life during this time. Afterward, the procession returns to the shrine, and the objects are placed in their spots. The day ends with the pena (musical instrument) fiddle player, who plays music and sings to rest the deities for the night, with a rite called "naosumba". This is the first day of the festival.

Haraoba

The second day starts with the awakening rite (yakeiba). The pena fiddle player plays in the morning to wake up the deity. Some rituals are done, like bathing (iru sadengba) and removing bad energies (anam-aha kokpa). People bring fruits, rice, grains, flowers, incense, and candles as offerings. The morning prayers are recited, and the offerings are given. The main ritual happens in the evening. Music and dance are an important part of it. They are not just for performance, but part of the ritual. The evening starts with offering flowers, called "Lei Langba." The person in charge of the flowers or their helper does this. The maibis show respect before starting the dance of Thougal Jagoi. This dance is a way to honor the Lai and get ready for the day’s work. The songs in the dance praise the deity. The maibis lead the dance, and everyone in the community can join. After the dance, the Laibou part of the ritual starts.

Laibou

The laibou rituals are the main part of the Lai Haraoba. Before this, a banana leaf with a small offering and sacred langthrei leaves are placed in the center of the area. The maibis then dance to bring the sacred presence into the space. This dance is called Laiching Jagoi, or "the dance to draw out the deities." The dance is accompanied only by the sound of the pena (musical instrument) fiddle, with no singing. After the dance, everyone shouts "hoi" together in a song called hoi laoba. They follow the maiba’s lead. The singing style is similar to the closing song, wakol laoba, but it is different from other ritual songs. This singing style is called "antiphonal songs," which is different from other ritual songs.

The laibou rituals are performed in a procession that goes around the performance area. The rituals symbolize the creation of the human body, birth, building a house, farming, and weaving. The procession, led by the maibi, starts in front of the shrine and moves around the area, showing respect to the four directions and their deities.

The dance begins with the creation of the body. The maibi dances to show how each part of the body is made, like carving the eyes, drawing the brows, and marking the soles of the feet. Then, the baby is 'born' and cared for. As the child grows, clothing is needed. To make clothes, the hillside is cleared to grow cotton, which is then processed and woven. To protect the child, a house is built, with frames made and mud used to plaster the walls. When the child grows older, they go fishing, which symbolizes physical desires. Throughout this ritual, there are clear references to everyday life and culture.

After Laibou

After the Laibou, the Padon Jagoi follows. In this, the maibis form a line, led by a senior maibi, and dance in a serpentine pattern in the performance area. Next, a series of rites takes place, focusing on the phibul (a ball of cloth) and the phijang, which is a piece of white cloth held by four poles. These four poles form a ritual umbrella and banners. The four corners of the cloth are held by the poles. Two maibis, each holding a sacred object, dance around the poles, moving under the cloth. After the rites, the cloth is gathered up and returned to the shrine. It is sometimes called as a part of the ritual "canopy cycle." The day ends with the participants drawing serpentine patterns, called "Lairen Mathek Chatpa." Then, the sacred objects are put back in the shrine, and the Wakol song is sung. The deities are put to rest with a lullaby called Naosumba, played by the pena.

Special rites

Some rites are done only on certain days. One is the "Saroi Khangba," where food is offered to lesser spirits. Another is the "Kanglei Thokpa," where the spirit of the deity Khoriphaba is called. This is also known as "Lai Nupi Thiba," meaning "search for the bride." A more visible rite is the "Lai Lam-thokpa" street procession, where the procession moves outside with a big celebration and many people.

Lairoi

The Lairoi rituals happen on the last day and mark the end of the festival. These rituals focus on closing the sacred time and space of Lai Haraoba. One ritual is "Thang Jagoi," a dance with blades, performed by a maibi at the four corners to remove bad energies. Another ritual is Loutaba, also called Tangkhul-Nurabi, which is about two important mythological figures. Loutaba is like a skit with comedy, myths, chants, and some improvisation. Other closing rituals include Ougri Hangel, Thawai Mi-konba, Sharit Litpa, and Khencho Chongba.

The sacred presence is let go with the Lai Nongaba rite, marking its departure and return to the other realm. A boat is made for this journey. The Uyarol songs describe the tree being cut down, and the Hijing Hirao songs describe making the boat. The ascent is marked by the Higa Ishei hymn, and the ritual ends with the Nongarol hymn. When returning to the shrine, the sacred images and items used in the ritual are taken apart, all on the same night. A Leihun offering of langthrei leaves is made, and the shrine doors are closed for five days. On the fifth day, the maibi comes back to remove the offering and prepare a new one. This final rite, called Leihun Tamba, ends the Lairoi rituals.

Lai Haraoba Ishei

Lai Haraoba Ishei is a famous folk song played mainly during Lai Haraoba. This song contains lyrics with veiled references to erotic mysticism. The main quality of the song is the rhythm in its tune.

Sports

In Lai Haraoba, the day after the Lairoi (last day of rituals) was for sports events. These events included many traditional Meitei games and sports. Some of the games were Yubi Lakpi, which is a traditional Meitei rugby and uses an oiled slippery coconut and oiled bodies. Another game was Khong Kangjei, which is a traditional Meitei hockey. Mukna is a traditional Meitei wrestling, and mukna-kangjei is a mix of wrestling and hockey. Thouri Chingnaba is a traditional Meitei tug of war.

Influences on other performing arts

Dance forms of Lai Haraoba helped create the Manipuri dance style and inspired the Manipuri Ras Lila, one of India's classical dances. The focus on dance has shaped how people see and talk about Lai Haraoba, both in Manipur and outside. But Lai Haraoba is more than just dance, music, or religion. It is an important part of the culture and has helped the Meitei people strengthen their identity, especially in relation to Hindu culture. The festival and its traditions show the Meitei view of the world and their values. It also reflects their material culture.