Occasion, Season and Duration

Festival>Luira>Occasion, Season and Duration

Luira phanit is a seed sowing festival. Etymologically the word “Luira” derived from two Tangkhul words i.e. ‘lui’ meaning field and ‘marra’ meaning dig. Therefore, Luira means digging of the field. Luira festival is celebrated every year since time immemorial. Luira festival is a festival of invoking divine blessing of God for the crops to be cultivated during the year and for bountiful harvest. A date is fixed according to the convenience of each village. Majority of the Tangkhul villages celebrates Luira festival in the month of Marun (February). Traditionally, the celebration continues for 10-15 days. It is also the New Year celebrations, the beginning of a new cycle of agriculture activities, and the grandest of festival. During Luira festival, the village chief or Headman commenced the seeds sowing, after the chief of the village had first sown the seeds and then the common people follow. The Village Chief sacrificed Chicken and pork on the first day and pray to God for good harvest. He would then give the seeds and other cultivable crops to the villagers to reap a good harvest in the village. If anybody violates the rules and sow ahead of the chief/king, heavy punishment is meted out to the violator because it is considered that such violation will bring famine to the village. The old practice of "Harkho khayang" and "Kapa khayang" was practice during Luira festival therefore, Luira festival is celebrated with great concern. Details of daily activities during the festivals vary according to villages and regions. However, the essentials elements are equally present in all forms of celebrations.

Far left: King/chief of Poi village sitting on the throne during Luira festival. (Photo: Perennial Studio)
Left & right: women & men perofrming folk damce. Right: Man eating pork meat during Luira festival. (Photo: Perennial Studio)

First three days is celebrated as cleaning of village for Luira celebration, during these three days no one goes to their farm work, outsiders are not allowed inside the village and none allowed to leave the village in the first three days during the performance of rituals and ceremonies. After the completion of three days, the next day is normally set aside for slaughtering animals for consumption during the festivals. After completion of all the necessary ceremonies, real Luira (seed sowing) festival begins to celebrate. Friends and relatives are invited to partake in a generous feasting and other festivity.