Lai Haraoba Wallpapers

Lai Haraoba is the oldest and most important ritual festival of the Meitei people of Manipur, usually celebrated from April to June. The name means merrymaking of the gods, and the festival reenacts the creation of the world according to Meitei mythology. It is performed to please the local ancestral deities (Umang Lai) and ensure the well-being of the community. The festival features elaborate dance performances by maibi (priestesses) and maiba (priests) that depict the creation myth, including the churning of the primordial waters and the formation of land and life. The ritualistic dances are performed over several days and include the Laiching Jagoi, Panthoibi Jagoi, and other sacred sequences. Each locality in Manipur celebrates Lai Haraoba at its own ancestral deity shrine. The festival is a living repository of pre-Hindu Meitei religious practices and has influenced the development of Manipuri classical dance. It represents an important intangible cultural heritage that connects modern Meitei people with their ancient spiritual traditions.