Sajibu Nongma Panba 2025

In 2025, Sajibu Nongma Panba will be celebrated on Sunday, March 30, aligning with the first day of the Sajibu month in the Meitei lunar calendar.

Origin and Historical Significance of Sajibu Nongma Panba

Sajibu Nongma Panba, also known as Meitei Cheiraoba, marks the traditional New Year for the Meitei community in Manipur, India. Rooted in Sanamahism—one of the oldest religions practiced in Manipur—this festival blends mythological, cultural, and seasonal elements.

The term "Sajibu" refers to the first month of the Meitei lunar calendar, while "Nongma Panba" means the first day. Historically, this day was significant for royal rituals during the days of the Manipur Kingdom, where kings would perform special offerings to deities and renew royal resolutions.

Beyond its religious value, the festival also symbolizes harmony between nature and humanity, aligning with the arrival of spring. It's a time to cleanse the body and soul, discard the old, and welcome a fresh start with prayers, rituals, and family reunions.

Rituals and Traditions of Sajibu Nongma Panba

Sajibu Nongma Panba is deeply spiritual and filled with customs that emphasize purity, prosperity, and community bonding. Key rituals and traditions include:

1. Early Morning Cleansing: The day begins with thorough cleaning of homes, symbolizing the removal of negativity and evil forces.
2. Offering to Ancestors and Deities: Families prepare traditional dishes and offer them to ancestral spirits and Sanamahi, the household deity.
3. Feast with Traditional Dishes: The menu often includes rice, vegetables, fish, and local delicacies served in plantain leaves.
4. Ching Kaba Ritual: After the feast, people climb nearby hills or high grounds. This tradition, known as Ching Kaba, signifies rising in life, progress, and spiritual growth.
5. New Clothes and Blessings: Wearing new clothes, exchanging gifts, and seeking elders' blessings are integral parts of the celebrations.

These rituals foster unity, gratitude, and a sense of renewal among Meiteis, both in Manipur and among diaspora communities.

How is the Festival Celebrated?

This festival is celebrated by the Meetei people who form the majority of the ethinicity in the state of Manipur. Despite the majority of Meetei people follow Hinduism, there traditions are based on the ideologies followed by Sanamahism.

Since, the festival is celebrated to welcome the new lunar year, it is also an event to bring people closer together and share the feeling of mutual love and respect for each other. The people in order to celebrate this festival arrange a joint feast for their family where traditional cuisines are offered to the local deities.

Once the meal is over, people climb on the Cheirao ching hill in Chingmeirong or on the nearby hills in the afternoon to pray.

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