A strong community demand to regulate the rising expenses associated with marriage ceremonies and customary rituals emerged as the central message of the Uripok Apunba Meepham organised today at Uripok by UAL, UNAL, and EYOL.
The organisers said that the growing financial burden from practices such as pala, Deva Karma, and other ceremonial obligations must be reduced to protect Meitei families from unnecessary strain during the ongoing crisis.
The programme was attended by EYOL Vice President Longjam Sana as Chief Guest, UNAL Acting President Sagolsem Indrani as Guest of Honour, and UAL President Soram Tekendrajit as the presidium member.
Speakers at the gathering expressed deep concern over the decline in discipline, weakening family values, and erosion of social harmony among Meitei households, emphasising that such deterioration requires immediate collective effort.
During the meeting, the organisations resolved to strengthen social discipline in Uripok through active community participation; to preserve Meitei family values by discouraging behaviours that disrupt harmony; to regulate monetary practices in rituals and ceremonies, including marriage-related expenses; and to extend full support to EYOL’s initiatives to safeguard Meitei cultural identity with close cooperation from UAL and UNAL.
They further stated that both UAL and UNAL stand in support of COCOMI’s decision to boycott the Sangai Festival, joining several other civil society organisations across the State in the collective stand.
