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Sajibu Cheiraoba: the Meitei new year in Manipur
The whole valley walks uphill so the new year rises with it
Sajibu Nongma Panba, also called Cheiraoba or Meitei Cheiraoba, is the lunar new year of the Meitei people of Manipur: the first day of Sajibu, the first month of the Meitei year. It is a one-day festival and a Manipur state holiday. Next date: 7 April 2027. The morning belongs to the household, with offerings and a feast; in the afternoon families climb a nearby hill so that the coming year rises with them.
The Manipur government's holiday notification, usually published late in the previous year, fixes the day; locality committees announce their programmes in the week before.
The legend
Sajibu Nongma Panba means the first day of the month of Sajibu: the Meitei lunar new year, also called Cheiraoba.
It is believed that the year follows its first day: be happy and healthy on it, and you will stay so for the rest of the year.
So after the feast families climb a hill, so that the spirit rises with them.
Customs
Offerings at the gate
The eldest son sets an odd number of dishes round a mound of rice on a plantain leaf, with flowers and a candle, at the front and back gates.
Mathel Laanba
Before the feast, dishes are exchanged with relatives and neighbours, a custom called Mathel Laanba.
Ching Kaba
In the afternoon people climb Cheirao Ching in Imphal, along a road lined with toy stalls and eateries.
What the name and the day mean
Sajibu is the month, nongma means the first date of a month, and panba means to be: the first day of Sajibu. Cheiraoba is the more common everyday name. The day corresponds to the first day of the bright half of Chaitra, which is why it falls between mid-March and mid-April. Some followers of Sanamahism, the Meitei indigenous religion, trace the new year festival to the reign of a legendary king, Maliya Fambalcha, placed in 1359–1329 BC.
The festival is observed by the Meitei people, mainly in Manipur, and Meitei communities keep it in Guwahati, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and abroad. The idea behind it is simple: the year follows its first day, so a day spent happy and healthy sets the tone for the months ahead.
Preparation starts before the day. Families clean the house thoroughly and traditionally buy new clothes for the new year.
How the day runs
Cheiraoba is a household festival first and a public one only in the afternoon.
- Morning: offering to Sanamahi
Uncooked fruit, vegetables, rice and other foods are offered to Lainingthou Sanamahi, the household deity. The offerings are then cooked into an odd number of dishes, three, five, seven or nine. Men usually do the cooking, with women helping to wash and chop.
- Late morning: the gates
The eldest son places food and fruit, a token coin, flowers, a candle and incense at the front and back gates of the house, for the deities of the gates.
- Midday: the feast
Before the family eats, dishes are exchanged with relatives and neighbours, the custom called Mathel Laanba.
- Afternoon: Ching Kaba, the hill climb
From the afternoon into early evening families climb a hillock to honour the hill deity, so that the spirit rises with them. In Imphal the best-known are Cheirao Ching at Chingmeirong, a stepped hillock made for this day, and Chin-nga at Singjamei. The way up is lined with stalls selling toys and food. Outside Imphal the festival is also kept in Thoubal and Bishnupur.
Official travel advice for Manipur
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says:
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the state of Manipur including the capital, Imphal.
Curfews and restrictions continue in parts of Manipur following ongoing ethnic violence since May 2023.
The FCDO also notes that your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against its advice. Read the current version on gov.uk before planning, and see Is India safe? for the wider picture.
Permits for Manipur
Indian visitors from other states need an Inner Line Permit, and foreign nationals, according to press reports, a Protected Area Permit. Check the current rules and official advisories before you travel.
- Indian citizens: Inner Line Permit — The Government of Manipur's ILP portal states that every non-resident Indian citizen from outside Manipur must obtain a valid Inner Line Permit before travel. Apply at manipurilponline.mn.gov.in.
- Foreign nationals: Protected Area Permit — According to press reports (The Tribune, The Wire), in December 2024 the Union Home Ministry reimposed the Protected Area Permit regime in Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, so foreign visitors need a PAP. Check the current rule with the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Foreigners Regional Registration Office before you plan. The FCDO's entry page on access permits for restricted and protected areas says: 'You need to apply for permits 3 months before your arrival' and 'Permit regulations can change at any time.'
Other Meitei festivals
FAQ
When is Sajibu Cheiraoba?
Next: 7 April 2027. It falls on the first day of Sajibu, matching the first day of the bright half of Chaitra, usually in March or early April. The Manipur government's holiday notification, usually published late in the previous year, fixes the day.
What is Cheiraoba in Manipur?
The lunar new year of the Meitei people, also called Sajibu Nongma Panba: offerings to the household deity and at the gates in the morning, a family feast, and a climb up a hillock in the afternoon.
Which state celebrates Sajibu Cheiraoba?
Manipur, where it is a state holiday. Meitei communities elsewhere in India and abroad also keep it.
What does Sajibu Nongma Panba mean?
The first day of the month of Sajibu: nongma is the first date of a month and panba means to be.
Why do people climb hills on Cheiraoba?
The climb, Ching Kaba, honours the hill deity and is believed to make the spirit rise with the new year. In Imphal people go up Cheirao Ching at Chingmeirong.
Can I travel to Manipur for Cheiraoba?
The FCDO states: 'FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the state of Manipur including the capital, Imphal.' Indian visitors need an Inner Line Permit; foreign nationals, according to press reports, a Protected Area Permit, so check the current rule before planning.
Sources (8)
- Sajibu Nongma Panba
- Manipur Gazette (holiday notification)
- India travel advice: warnings and insurance, FCDO
- India travel advice: entry requirements, FCDO
- Manipur ILP Online Portal
- Sajibu Nongma Panba celebrated in Manipur, ThePrint
- Centre reimposes Protected Area Permit in Manipur, The Tribune
- Centre reimposes protected area regime in three north-eastern states, The Wire
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.