Why it becomes a necessity to arrange grand feast every time we hold a function at home. Common masses it seems have cooked up the theory that no programme is complete unless there is a grand feast added to it. People of the state following different faiths and religions as a tradition hold various programmes every year. Barring one or two all these programmes are followed up by sumptuous meal that is offered to the gatherings. It is wastage of time and money. There is ushob, (grand feast), arranged by the family members in memory of their dear and near ones, who had passed away. Extension of merry making is not encouraging. For instance offerings to the departed soul can be ended with the holding of shradha function that serves the real purpose for which the function is held. Unnecessarily it is extended with the addition of deevosh. For those who do not understand Manipuri tradition deevosh means grand feast studded with fish. It is an added burden to the family members, whose lovely member had passed away. Likewise marriage ceremony can be ended with the tying of knots by the bride and the groom. This function too is extended with the addition of Mapam Chakkouba, an added burden to the bride’s family members, who had emptied their coffer in arranging dowry for the bride and marriage programme. Precious time is also wasted as one obliges the invite given to him or her by the friends and relatives to attend the grand feast. At least two hours time is wasted in attending a chakkouba. Government employees shirk their official duties to attend chakkouba or deevosh. Who can stop these unnecessarily extended programmes? A poor man will be ridiculed if he floats the idea of stopping chakkouba and deevosh, so he will never be able to do that. The rich and famous will be reduced to the butt of joke earning the title miser if they start it. Hence the onus of bringing a change to these added burdens lie with the civil organisations. Civil organisations can launch awareness programme to make everyone realise that the change is for the betterment of all. The question arises who can advise these civil organisations to launch the awareness programmes. Ever since an underground organisation issued dictates against helping examinees during the conduct of examination the practice of helpers swarming examination centres had disappeared. Prior to that even brothers scaled the roof of the school building to pass a piece of paper to his sister in the examination hall. Morality was thrown in the wind. It is just like the family members asking others in the same family to carry out illegal activities. When Amir Khan had his hairs shaved off to act in Ghajni a popular Hindi film thousands of youths followed suit. It means if someone, who is loved and respected by all stops extension of merry making large number of people will follow. That must happen as that will go a long way in bettering the economy of the people living in the state.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/extension-of-merry-making/
