KOKYET CHINBUN LAKPA : A turban used by the Meitei cooks while serving food during ceremonial feast.

Cooks serving the food attired with Kokyet Chinbun Lakpa

Have you ever seen the cook(Bamon i.e. Brahmin or Meitei Bamon)serving food to the people with a special turban covering their mouth during ceremonial feast of the Meitei community? In ceremonial feast cooks use this mode of wearing turban. For this style of of wearing turban, the cloth required is not a long one. The cloth is gathered lengthwise and   half of the cloth is used in making a coil around the head, along the line corresponding to the forehead at the front, leaving the portion of the head above it bare. The coil of cloth so made is tied into a knot on one side of the head. The end of the remaining half is carried across the mouth from the side of the face where the knot is located and to the opposite side where it is tucked into the coil of turban. The reason behind the covering of mouth with cloth is to check the accidental out-flow of saliva and accidental sneezing while serving  food.

It is said to have been introduced during the time of Meidingu Kyamba (1467-1508). This style of wearing turban is still prevailed among the cooks serving the ceremonial feast till today.

Data Source: "Traditonal dresses of the Meiteis" by Dr.K. Sobita