Chakhesangs celebrate premier fest

Kohima | January 15 : The Chakhesang Nagas celebrated its premier festival- Sühkrühnye today in different parts of Phek district. Families and friends were gathered in various locations and enjoyed the festival with folk songs, dances and feast.
In Phek village, a grand celebration took place at the village ground, which was marked by cultural spotlight, indigenous games and feast.
Sühkrühnye is the most important festival and is celebrated on January 15.
During the festival, the boys and girls are sanctified through religious ceremonies and rituals. As a matter of fact, “Sühkrühnye” covers eleven days starting from “NYEDE” and within the five days including “NYEDE” necessary preparations are made for the rest of six day of festival period.
The first day of the festivity period is known as “CEDU”. On this very day animals are killed and every house hold sprinkles the blood of the killed animals on the main posts of the house. The first fetched out Sühkrühnye wine is offered to the deities in bananas leaf tumblers and the cooked meat and rice-beer are offered to the High-Priest and Priests of the village in expectation of blessings.
The second day is “SÜKHRÜ” meant for men folk. SÜKHRÜ signifies sanctification of young, innocent and unspoiled boys for this ritualistic ceremony. On this day every man is supposed to take a fresh-water bath and is forbidden to use water fetched by women. To perform this ritualistic ceremony (SÜKHRÜ) everything new is used including utensils and fireplace. The men folk go to the well early in the morning before any animal or bird touches or partakes the water and takes a bath immediately after the first crow of the cock which indicates the breaking of a new day, in order to sanctify themselves. Thereafter, the unpolluted water, considered to be holy, is brought home, fire is made out of the fire making method and unblemished cock is killed and cooked with the holy water and eat to sanctify the boy/boys for the rest of their lives. Even when a new house is constructed “SÜKHRÜH: is performed in order to get his house sanctified. This whole process is called “SÜKHRÜH” and “NYE” is known as festival. On this day the entire men folk go for community bird-trapping. The collected birds are hung on a decorated ceremonial ritual to sanctify her young innocent daughter/daughters. THÜNO NUSO is much simpler than that of SÜKHRÜH; they prepare an unblemished young hen and eat it to sanctify themselves for their entire lives.
The fourth day is known as “MÜTHI NUSO” where social feasts such as MÜLELHÜ or feast of social age groups. ZHOTHO MUZA (feast of merit) etc begins. This day is set aside from religious restrictions.
The fifth day is known as “CEDÜ ZHONU” which means accomplishment of the festivals. The sixth day and the last day is known as “THÜNYE MÜKRA”. Now that the festival’s religious pursuits are relaxed, to mark the last of Sühkrühnye they continue feasting, dancing and singing throughout the day and night till dawn.
With the coming of Christianity, Sühkrühnye’s religious and traditional ceremonies and rituals are no longer in practice in most of the villages. However, Sühkrühnye is still celebrated with great significance and enthusiasm mostly by the Chokris in Phek district.
During this traditional festival the indigenous games, folk songs, folk dance and sports fully occupy the festive period of six days starting from 15 January in keeping with the Christian spirit. SÜKHRÜHNYE being a festival of sanctification, it is also marked as Children’s day. Water baptism can take place on this occasion.
Sühkrühnye is a time of joyful celebration and so people do anticipate and yearn for the next to come.