ITANAGAR, Apr 15: Sangken, the annual three-day water festival of the Tai Khampti, Singpho, Tangsa (Tikhak) and other communities, began on Saturday with revellers pouring water on each other as part of the celebration.
Sangken is a celebration that embraces goodwill, love, compassion and thankfulness, using water as the means of expression.
Members of the Theravada Buddhist Society, dressed in their best traditional attires, thronged the vihara at Vivek Vihar here and celebrated by splashing water on the visitors and on each other.
The festival was also celebrated at the Golden Pagoda in Tengapani (Namsai), and in Chongkham, Empong and Phaneng, as people consider these places sacred. People from Namsai district also visited the Buddha Vihara in Kalioni (Karbi Anglong, Assam), which is also considered a very sacred place.
At the Golden Pagoda in Tengapani, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, along with Environment & Forests Parliamentary Secretary Chow Tewa Mein, and former Namsai MLA Nang Sati Mein poured scented water on the statues of the Buddha and lit candles and incense sticks to pay respects to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.
“Sangken is a festival that celebrates the traditional Buddhist New Year. It is held in April and is marked by the throwing and sprinkling of water,” the DCM said.
Extending his best wishes, he prayed that Lord Buddha may shower his blessings “and fill everyone’s life with happiness, prosperity, good health, and success,” and expressed hope that the blessed water would wash away people’s pain and sorrow.
The DCM also lauded the members of the Tai Khamti Heritage and Literary Society for their efforts in creating awareness and sensitizing people and youths of various villages to celebrate the festival clean and safe.
In Namsai, Planning & Investment Parliamentary Secretary Chau Zingnu Namchoom joined the celebration at the Pariyatti Sasana Buddha Vihara. He joined others in the ritual of bringing out of statues of the Buddha from the main temple to the temporary makeshift shrine.
Sangken is celebrated by the Tai Khampti, Singpho, Tangsa (Tikhak) and other communities across the state. One of the main traditions that form part of Sangken is to pour water on each other in an expression of mirth.
The significance of water is to wash away bad luck and start the New Year on a new note. People, young and old, dressed in traditional attires thronged the Buddha Viharas in their respective villages to celebrate the festival. (PRO)
