Lai Haraoba in Myanmar

An illustration of different gestures of a holy and sacred dance form performed by a maibi (Meitei priestess) during the Lai Haraoba celebration

Lai Haraoba (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯏ ꯍꯔꯥꯎꯕ) is a traditional religious and cultural festival observed by the Meitei people in Myanmar, particularly among populations in Mandalay and Sagaing regions. Originating in Manipur, India, the festival has been maintained by Meitei descendants in Myanmar as part of their ancestral heritage. Lai Haraoba, which translates to "the merrymaking of the gods," involves ritual ceremonies, dance, music, and oral narratives that reflect Meitei cosmology and ancestral worship. The festival centers around the veneration of local deities known as Umang Lai and is typically led by priestesses (Maibi) who perform ritual dances and ceremonies. In Myanmar, Lai Haraoba functions as a cultural preservation practice among the Meitei diaspora, maintaining continuity with traditions from their historical homeland.

History

Further information: Chahi Taret Khuntakpa, History of Myanmar, and History of Manipur

Approximately three centuries ago, a group of Meitei people were taken to Burma (present-day Myanmar) forcibly. During this period, Burmese Emperor Alaungpaya deployed Meitei cavalry units in military campaigns against Chiang Mai in the region now known as Thailand. These cavalry units were subsequently settled in Nandaswe, located in the Sagaing Division of Myanmar. The Meitei settlers established places of worship dedicated to their traditional deities and have continued to observe cultural and religious practices, including the Lai Haraoba festival.

According to Professor Bryce Grey Beemer, a Fulbright scholar from the University of Hawaii, the Meitei communities in Myanmar have integrated elements of local Myanmarese culture into their traditional practices. Despite this cultural assimilation, they have preserved core aspects of Meitei cultural identity. Notable among these are the continued observance of Lai Haraoba, a ritual festival dedicated to Meitei deities, and the worship of deities comparable to the goddess Panthoibi within the Sanamahi religious tradition.

Delegates from India

In 2008, the Indo-Myanmarese Fraternal Alliance, based in Imphal, undertook a 20-day visit to Myanmar with the objective of re-establishing historical and cultural connections between the Meitei populations of Manipur and Myanmar. A delegation comprising 20 members visited multiple settlements inhabited by individuals of Meitei descent. The visit was intended to facilitate cultural exchange and reinforce ties between the Meitei communities across the international border.

As part of cultural engagement efforts, R.K. Sivachandra Singh announced plans to participate in Lai Haraoba ceremonies in three locations: Nandaswe, Amarapura, and Garve. The observances include traditional rituals such as Lai Ikouba, a practice involving the invocation of deities from water. The initiative aims to support the continuation of Meitei cultural practices among diaspora communities in Myanmar. Singh further stated that the delegation would include performers, maibis (ritual priestesses), and the pena (musical instrument), a traditional stringed instrument, all of which are integral to the ceremonial proceedings.

In Mandalay Region

Honouring Yumjao Lairembi & other deities

In May 2007, a delegation from the Indo-Myanmar Fraternal Alliance travelled to Myanmar to participate in a series of Lai Haraoba festivals held in Meitei settlements across the country. According to an official statement issued by the Alliance, the team took part in the Lai Haraoba of the Meitei mother goddess Yumjao Lairembi at Garve village in Mandalay, commencing on 25 May. The delegation subsequently attended additional festivals dedicated to Meitei deities, including god Pakhangba in Amarapura, goddess Leimarel Sidabi, god Nongpok Ningthou, and goddess Panthoibi at Nandaswe village.

Honouring Leimarel Sidabi

The Lai Haraoba festival dedicated to the Meitei mother goddess Ema Leimarel Sidabi was observed in June 2024 at her shrine located in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region, Myanmar. The ceremony included the ritual changing of the goddess's sacred garment.

According to a statement by Meikam Nanao Meitei, Organisation Secretary of the Federation of Indigenous People's Democratic Movement (FIDM), the event was attended by a significant number of Meitei devotees from the Mandalay Region. The religious observance was also attended by N. Ngangom Moirangcha, President of Eputhou Pakhangpa Lainingkol Mandalay, a member of FIDM, and a Central Executive Committee member of the MMDA.

Honouring Panthoibi

In October 2024, a religious program was held in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region, Myanmar, to commemorate Ema Panthoibi, the Meitei goddess associated with the East. The event featured a religious gathering involving worship and the seeking of blessings from the deity. It was organised by the Meitei Kathe Indigenous Development Association (MIDA).

The purpose of the celebration was to promote the preservation and protection of the religious festivals observed by followers of the Sanamahi religion and members of the seven Meitei clans (Yek Salai/Meitei confederacy). The occasion marked the observance of Ema Panthoibi Haraoba, a variant of the Lai Haraoba festival dedicated specifically to the goddess Panthoibi.

In Sagaing Region

In May 2015, the traditional Meetei residents of Mozer Quarter in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, observed the Lai Haraoba festival at the shrine of Ima Leimarel Sidabi. The ceremony involved customary prayers and ritual offerings in accordance with long-established Meetei traditions. The event was attended by a large number of Meetei inhabitants from the surrounding area.

See also

• Lai Haraoba in Bangladesh
• Lai Haraoba in Tripura
• Meitei clothing in Myanmar
• Burmese–Meitei relations
• Meitei–Shan relations