In a notable cultural initiative to enhance unity and preserve indigenous traditions, four communities in the state—Meetei, Kabui, Chothe, and Maring—have agreed to jointly celebrate the Sajibu Nongma Panba Kumhei Festival starting this year. This festival marks the first day of Sajibu (Sajibu Nongma Panba Cheiraoba) on a unified platform. A joint committee, the Apunba Kanglei Yelhou Phurup Sajibu Nongma Panba Kumhei Festival Committee, was established on February 19 with representatives from the four communities that worship Lainingthou Sanamahi. The committee is chaired by Kamson Gangmumei Kabui, a member of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board, with Thao Jatra Chothe and Meisnam Iboba serving as Vice Chairmen. During a press conference at the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple, committee member Haying Khongban requested the State Government to recognize the festival as a state-level event and provide funding in the State Budget. The committee called upon all devotees of Lainingthou Sanamahi to unite and promote togetherness, especially during difficult times, and emphasized recalling the unity of the past to worship for peace, harmony, and prosperity in the state. The first edition of the Sajibu Nongma Panba Kumhei Festival will take place on March 19 in Bishnupur district, viewed as a key step towards fostering communal harmony through shared cultural and spiritual heritage.
Four Communities Unite to Mark Sajibu Nongma Panba Kumhei Festival
