Manipur, Jan 2: As Manipur grapples with ongoing ethnic conflicts since May 3, the Kuki-Zo dominated Kangpokpi district experienced a subdued New Year celebration. In stark contrast to previous years, the festivities were notably low-key.
The main highlights included a short morning and evening worship at Kangpokpi Christian Church, where a mass special prayer sought God’s blessing and guidance for the Kuki-Zo community. An event at the church involved randomly selecting a Bible Verse for each churchgoer to guide them through the new year, a tradition normally held at midnight but shifted to the morning worship this year.
The New Year’s morning worship involved shaking hands, sharing New Year tea and snacks, creating a solemn atmosphere. A group of individuals organized a midnight cake-cutting, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new one.
The celebration extended to highway night duty goers who distributed cake to passersby, accompanied by traditional gun firing to ward off evil. Pastor Paotingen led prayers, thanking the Almighty for guiding the community amid the year’s challenges.
The subdued atmosphere, lacking in decorations and usual festivities like lenkhom and dancing, reflected the somber mood and the impact of the ongoing conflicts on the community’s celebrations.
Read:Â Tragic start to 2024 in Tripura: Three killed, six injured in New Year road accidents
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