Rabi Takhellambam
Imphal, Nov. 27: The Heritage Park at the Centre of the Hapta Kangjeibung in the Sangai festival has fairly good collection and display of Manipur’s heritage especially for collection of different house. Tuck away between lush rolling green hills of North Eastern India, Manipur is a Paradise waiting to be discovered to the “Sangai festival -2015”.
The enchanting amalgamation of rich cultural Heritage and the illustration of cultural Houses for the different tribes are attracting the peoples. In the cultural evening the tribal folk dances which are an expression of Nature’s creation of aestheticism in the tribal way of life attracted the foreigners.
Most of the visitors throng the Heritage park for having a glimpse of the traditional houses of different communities. Even though the concept of the demonstration is a good one but the illustrations model are not upto the mark. In front of the house written on a board, Meitei Yumjao; in Meitei society, the traditional Yumjao house is symbolic of status in society, individuals possessing wealth could construct the Yumjao which necessitated procuring quality wood poles and beams. Construction of Yumjao is based on the treatise Yumsarol.
There are separate spaces for the family, hearth and deities. The Demonstration of the “Meitei Yumjao” most of the people enter from the front and again exited from the same front door. Many of the visitors who are familiar with Meitei Yumsarol usually ask questions like, who made the house? Who is the Architect? etc… The right side window cannot be opened in any circumstances because the window is totally blocked by a pillar. One visitor said to the Imphal Times “ I am 76year old now, this is the only Meitei Yumjao which was made without Yumsarol”.