In News:

• Manipur recently celebrated the Ningol Chakouba Festival, a unique cultural tradition that reinforces the bond of love between married women and their paternal families.
• As part of the annual celebrations, the Department of Fisheries, Manipur organized the Annual Fish Fair-cum-Fish Crop Competition at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal, a day before the festival.
  • The event aims to make fish available to the public at affordable prices, as fish curry is an essential part of the festive feast.

About Ningol Chakouba Festival

• Meaning:
  • Ningol – married woman (sister or daughter)
  • Chakouba – feast or communal meal

Thus, Ningol Chakouba translates to “feast of married women”.

• When Celebrated:Observed annually on the second day of Hiyangei month (October–November) of the Meitei lunar calendar.
• Main Ritual:Married women and their children visit their maternal homes for a grand feast and reunion with their brothers and parents.
  • The sons of the family formally invite their married sisters about a week in advance.
  • Women arrive in traditional attire, bringing fruits, vegetables, and local delicacies as offerings.
  • After a shared meal, brothers present gifts to their sisters as a token of love and respect.

Cultural Essence and Significance

• The festival serves as a symbol of familial unity, respect for women, and continuity of social ties even after marriage.
• It highlights the importance of kinship in Manipuri society and reinforces the bond between daughters and their parental homes.
• Beyond Manipur, the festival is now celebrated by Manipuri communities across India and abroad, preserving cultural identity among the diaspora.

Historical Background

• Origin: Traced back to the reign of King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, one of Manipur’s earliest rulers.
  • At that time, Queen Laisana used to invite her brother Poireiton to the royal palace annually for a feast—originally called “Piba Chakouba” (Piba meaning brother/son).
• Transformation:
  The tradition evolved during the reign of King Chandrakirti Singh (1831–1886), who invited his sisters instead of brothers due to logistical challenges in visiting them.
  • Since then, the celebration became known as “Ningol Chakouba”, centered on the affection between sisters and brothers.

Associated Event: Fish Fair-cum-Fish Crop Competition

• Organized by the Department of Fisheries, Government of Manipur, every year a day before Ningol Chakouba.
• Purpose:
  • Ensure easy availability of fresh fish at affordable prices for the festival.
  • Promote local fish farmers and aquaculture in the state.
• Venue: Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal.
• Cultural Link: Fish dishes, especially fish curry, are a mandatory part of the feast, symbolizing prosperity and togetherness.

In News:

• Ukraine has reportedly carried out a long-range missile strike on a Russian chemical plant in Bryansk using UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, marking one of the most significant deep-penetration attacks into Russian territory since the beginning of the war.
• The strike, which reportedly bypassed Moscow’s air defence systems, triggered retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Russia on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk, leading to civilian casualties and power outages.
• The episode underscores the escalation in the Ukraine–Russia conflict and highlights the growing strategic role of Western-supplied precision weaponry in modern warfare.

About the Storm Shadow Missile

• Type: Long-range, air-launched stealth cruise missile
• Developed by:United Kingdom and France (known as SCALP EG in France)
• Manufacturer:MBDA Systems
• Operational Since: Early 2000s
• Primary Role: Designed to destroy high-value, well-protected targets such as:
  • Airbases
  • Radar installations
  • Command and control centres
  • Port and fuel storage facilities

The missile’s combination of low observability, precision guidance, and deep-penetration warhead makes it one of the most advanced conventional strike weapons in the world.

Technical Specifications and Features

Stealth and Precision Capabilities

• Designed for “fire and forget” operations, requiring minimal pilot input after launch.
• Terrain-following capability allows the missile to fly under radar coverage, reducing detection probability.
• The infrared imaging seeker enables precise terminal guidance even in adverse weather conditions.
• Known for its “deep-strike capability”, allowing it to destroy hardened and strategic installations from a safe stand-off distance.

Global Operators

The Storm Shadow/SCALP EG is in service with several countries, including:United Kingdom, France, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and India – where it is integrated with the Rafale fighter jets operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), enhancing India’s precision-strike capabilities.