All posts filed under: MANIPUR

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Story of the Seed Sowing Festival ‘Luita Phanit’ Celebrated in Somdal Village, Manipur — by Thanmiso Khamrang

Published by Shanmi

“The seed sowing festival, locally known as ‘Luita Phanit’ is one of the most important festivals of the Tangkhul tribe and it is celebrated annually. In my village Somdal, situated in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, Luita Phanit is celebrated in the month of March every year. The celebration begins with the invocation of the headman for a bountiful harvest, followed by the ceremonial ritual of sowing seeds performed by his wife. The main event of the festival is the tug of war, which is done using vines procured from the jungle. On the last day of the festival, all the residents take part in this massive tug of war of the sexes that ends only when the vine breaks! A long-running, enjoyable social gathering that every visitor fondly attends is the ‘Marching’. After the day’s celebration, the locals assemble at the village square, donning the traditional attires and head gears known as ‘Pasi’. They form march in circles to the beat of drums while singing folk songs and hymns till sundown. This simple yet …

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In Conversation with June Neelu, a Software Engineer and a Passionate Musician from Manipur

Published by Shanmi

A marketing executive residing in Bangalore, June Neelu from Manipur began singing when she was young. Her musical career began (on a serious note) after she started uploading covers on YouTube. Today she has written and composed many originals in Manipuri. She may be a full-time tech professional, but she continues to perform in gigs and events – making a name for herself and gathering a great fan-following. Read our full interview with June Neelu to know about her music journey and more. We had a chat with June Neelu, a software engineer by profession and musician at heart. She talks about her passion to sing since her young age, her inspiration, her upcoming project, and more. Hello June, good to have you here! Please tell us a little about yourself. Hello! I’m June Neelu from Imphal, Manipur. By profession, I’m a software engineer turned marketing executive but singing has always been my passion and I have been singing ever since I was young. I’m the youngest and the only daughter of three siblings. I …

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Recipe for Simple Oats Cake Made without Sugar or Flour – By Ksh Donny From Manipur

Published by Shanmi

Have you ever tasted or made a cake without using sugar or flour? We haven’t either, but today we’re in for a treat! We’ve been hearing rave reviews about Donny’s fantastic “no sugar-no-flour” cake. Apparently, it’s absolutely delicious! Donny, who works full-time and has a passion for cooking, loves putting her own unique twist on recipes. She’s come up with a simple cake recipe that replaces sugar with honey and incorporates healthy ingredients like oats, fresh fruits, and dry fruits. It’s a simple yet scrumptious cake that you can try making at home. Let’s dive in and discover how she works her magic! Oats cake with no sugar, no oil, and no flour but a lot of fresh fruits and dry fruits – recipe by Ksh Donny from Manipur Ingredients: Apple (2) Oats (2 cups) Egg (1) Vanilla essence (1 tbsp) Baking powder (1/2 tbsp) Pinch of salt Honey (2 tbsp) Dry fruits of  your choice (2 tbsp) Strawberries (10) Preparations: Chop the apples Shred the dry fruits Slice the strawberries Mix everything in the …

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“The Raincloak Man” – Photo By Nganing Shimray From Ukhrul, Manipur

Published by Shanmi

“Every year in June, I would go home to my family for my summer breaks. During the short break, I also try to take breaks from all sorts of distraction and try to abstain myself from use of internet or screens and spend time with the home folks. While at home, I’d get the best of food and sleeps. There are times when I go to bed as early at 6-7 in the evening and wake up at 4-5 in the morning. This is one such instance where I got up early and went out for a stroll. I love taking photos especially of people and folks at home and the best time to do that is in the morning when the light is not too harsh or strong yet. I gave a title for this photo as ‘The Raincloak man‘. It was taken in Ukhrul, Manipur. The man in the photo is a stranger that I met on my early morning adventure. What caught my attention was that, the man was talking to his …

Recipe Of A Dried River Fish And Spring Onion From Manipur By Naosing Moinao

Published by Shanmi

There’s nothing healthier than a good organic meal for your body and mind. Our recipe today is a treat for everyone who loves healthy meals! Naosing Moinao, a passionate cook from Manipur, is going to show how he prepares dried river fish with few ingredients using a very simple method! Let’s check it out. Dried River Fish dish contributed by Naosing Moinao from Manipur Ingredients : Dried river fish (about 10 pieces) 1 tomato 1 medium sized Onion Spring onion 1 king chilli Coriander 1 tbsp of freshly minced ginger 4 cloves of garlic Olive Oil (2 tbsp) Preparation of the dish: Heat the pot, pour 2 tbsp of olive oil Add the chopped onion, fry for a bit and add the tomato. After about a minute, add the dried fish and fry for another minute Add a mug of water, king chilli, salt to taste and cook for 30 minutes After that, add the spring onion, minced garlic and ginger; cook for about a minute Lastly, add the coriander and turn it off And …

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In Conversation With Alkis Meiphok, Freelance Photographer From Manipur

Published by Shanmi

It is a delight to come across people who are passionate about chasing their dreams, and even pursue it as their career. One such gem is Alkis Meiphok, a photographer from Manipur. He loves capturing moments, and share his perspective with the world. Most of his work includes nature photography – mountains, flowers, insects, whatever he finds pleasing to his eyes. Let’s find out more! We had a quick chat with Alkis Meiphok, photographer from Manipur. He talks about what got him started to pursue photography and what he hopes to achieve through it. Hello, introduce a little about yourself. My name is Alkis Meiphok, from Shangshak Phunghon village, Ukhrul district, Manipur. I am presently a freelance photographer. I did my photography course at DCOP (Delhi college of photography), North Delhi. What initially sparked your interest in photography? I grew up seeing photos. Our family has a tradition of taking a group photo every New Year,  and it was beautiful to create such memories. This was one reason why I took up photography. I love …

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“Dancing Is A Part Of My Life For It Really Brings Me Happiness” – A Chat With 20-Year-Old Sorenzan Vashum, Dancer From Manipur

Published by Shanmi

A self-taught b-boy dancer, Sorenzan Vashum hails from Tallui village located in the district of Ukhrul, Manipur. Inspired after watching his sisters perform in school programs, Sorenza took on dancing at a young age and hasn’t stopped since. Already a winner of a few b-boy battles, Sorenza practices for hours everyday. He also talks about his dance group, “Generation Squad”, where he has found a new family and learns a lot from the crew members. Let’s get to know him better! We had a chat with Sorenzan Vashum, B-boy dancer from Manipur. He talk to us about his passion for dancing since his younger days, how it got started, inspirations and more! Hello, introduce a little about yourself. Hi, my name is Sorenzan Vashum and I’m 20-year-old. I was born and brought up in Talui village, located in Ukhrul town of Manipur. Currently, I’m based out of Delhi. Introduce us to your work as a dancer, what got you started? I’m a full-time b-boy dancer. My stage name is “Bboy Neros”, where ‘Bboy’ is a …

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“My Art Is A Study And A Meditation On The Question Of Culture, Life And Narratives” – A Chat With Laishram Meena Devi, Artist From Manipur

Published by Shanmi

Meet Laishram Meena Devi, freelance painter from Manipur. As a kid, she has been participating in a couple of painting competitions and growing up to having her own solo show, multiple of group exhibitions within the country and abroad! Meena has come really far on achieving her goals and living the dream. She is fascinated about painting Manipuri mother and children, the traditional touch could be seen in most of her works – “My paintings represent innocence of childhood, comfort, togetherness, mother and daughter relationship, friendship, etc“. Let’s read on to know better about Meena and her work! We had a chat with Laishram Meena Devi, artist from Manipur. She talks about her work – how painting Manipuri women and kids fascinates her and what her paintings represents! Hi! Introduce a little about yourself. My name is Laishram Meena Devi, 30-years-old from Manipur. I’ve been living in Delhi for the past 15 years now. I did my bachelor of fine art (painting) from Jamia (gold medalist) at 2011 and M.F.A from College of Art , …

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“Dark Days Will Be Many, But The Sea Will Calm Down and The Sun Will Shine Again”- A Chat with Chirmi Shimray from Manipur, author of “The Sea And I”

Published by Shanmi

Some say that every secret of a writer’s soul is written large in their works. Some say it’s all fiction and a figment of their imagination. Today’s writer from Manipur has a little bit of both in her first ever book to be published “The Sea and I.” A teacher by profession, 26-year-old Chirmi Shimray is a new mom to her 3-month-old son and has always been passionate about writing. The themes of her writings usually revolves around Death, Survival and Freedom, and she says of her book “The Sea and I”, ” It’s mostly fictional except for a chapter called ‘Paradise’ which is based on my real life. I want my readers to dive into the book and just let the book take them over with its mesmerizing vulnerabilities, and also its coldness.”Let’s find out more about Chirmi and her book! A chat with Chirmi Shimray – a passionate writer, full-time teacher, new mom and a published author from Manipur. She talks about her debut book, “The Sea and I” the whole process that …

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Recipe Of “Roasted Lamb Leg” By Raman Okram From Manipur

Published by Shanmi

Today’s dish – “Roasted lamb leg” is contributed by a passionate cook, Raman Okram from Manipur. For him, this is one of the easiest recipes that he has cooked so far. His suggestion is to go for a smaller size of the lamb leg because they’re more tender and it could easily fit to the tray of the oven too. Let’s find out the recipe and how it is prepared! “Roasted Lamb Leg” dish by Raman Okram from Manipur Ingredients : Lamb Leg (1 kg) Olive oil (2-3 tbsp) Salt and Pepper Garlic (2-3) Herbs such as rosemary and thyme (you can use any herbs that you like) 1 Lemon Baby potatoes (4-5) Preparation of the dish : Browning – because it helps to lock the juices inside the meat. Season the meat with olive oil, salt and pepper Make a lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl (1 lemon and 2-3 olive oil). You can add some origano in the mix (optional). Direction to cook the dish : Put the lamb (cut into …