Heijingpot is the most talked about and fun part of every Meitei weddings. On this day, the groom and bride's families gather at the bride's house. In the evening, the bride's friends bring gifts and share a meal with her.
During one of the food trails in Imphal, we chanced upon a colourful procession where a group of beautifully dressed locals, mostly womenfolk, were seen carrying baskets full of stuff . On discovering it to be a Heijingpot ceremony which is a pre wedding ceremony in the Meitei community, we decided to join in. The humble request for the same turned into a warm and joyful welcome by the bride's family who were hosting it.
The bride's elder brother gave us a brief overview of this ceremony. During this morning ceremony, the groom's family visits the bride’s house with gifts, sweetmeats and other important items of the wedding. This is followed by puja offered to the local deities. This morning function is mostly a gathering of the elder members of the respective families. Everyone was dressed in their traditional attire and most of the menfolk were in all white. Once the rituals concluded, food items were distributed to the guests present at the ceremony. This included a small bag full of fruits and other treats. Here we tasted the black rice bhujia and loved it.
The bride's family then invited us to the evening Heijingpot function where the bride's close friends and relatives are invited for a cake-cutting and a small party. We were accompanied by our friend Ammo who guided us through the happenings. The bride looked stunning in a yellow traditional attire. After a quick introduction, her brother led us to the buffet. The menu included pasta, pulao, home made fruit salad, yen thongba, nga atoiba etc.
We are truly grateful to Phalguni and his family and our friend Ammo for this wonderful experience.
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living.manipur?...
8 авг 2023
