On Ningol Chakkouba day, Meitei women, particularly the married ones, put in their best traditional clothes, visit their natal homes and enjoy an array of delectable dishes with their siblings and parents.

According to the notification, these nine Meitei groups have been banned for allegedly “engaging in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India”.

The violence in Manipur bordering Myanmar first erupted on May 3 when the Kuki tribal group who inhabit the hills clashed with the non-tribal ethnic majority Meitei living on the plains over sharing economic benefits and quotas given to the tribes.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday appealed to the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur to sit together and hold ‘heart to heart talk’ to solve the ongoing crisis.

An eerie calm pervades the village atmosphere with ethnic tension still lurking, threatening to rupture any moment. Tell-tale signs of displacement and insecurity, a deep sense of fear and abandonment writ large among the locals. Way to the village one would encounter barricades manned by automatic rifles yielding security personnel all along.

Despite the heart wrenching tragedy back home, these players transcended the adversities and sorrow and focused on a singular focus of clinching the championship, and shared laughter and meals in between.

Indake ong·engon, a·jao jingjengataniko dakna salsa skangan, champengsoani gita Manipur a·dokni a·kawe jolo donggipa a·ja dambongarango chu·gimik curfew-koba ra·gatataha.

Atouba Khuraijam, Spokesperson, COCOMI, while talking about the fresh firing incident in Manipur, said, "for much of the terrain, as per our experience in...

"What we heard last was that there was a peace agreement between the citizens of the parallel between the Kuki and Meitei; they have signed an agreement where they will uphold the peace in the district; however, this morning this peace was broken by the gunfire from the Meitei site," he added.

Hundreds of individuals on Wednesday defied the curfew in Manipur's Bishnupur district and marched towards the heavily fortified security barricade, which has been strategically positioned between the Kuki-majority Churachandpur and Meitei-majority Bishnupur districts.