In election season, a royal legacy comes alive in Manipur.
The centuries-old tradition of the King's subjects presenting gifts to the royal has survived democracy. There are no kings. And so, every election in Manipur's Imphal Valley, people turn up in their traditional best at houses of their local candidate bearing gifts; rice, fruits and vegetables.
It is meant to be a good luck charm.
It doesn't really matter which political party a candidate is contesting the elections from. They all get the gifts from supporters.
Manipur's kings were celebrated in the same way centuries ago before they held a mega durbar. The tradition is still alive in the state's Meitei community and practised every election.
"This is our culture, for all the candidates in happen this way that supporters bring whatever they can from their homes to wish them for poll," said Rebecca Devi from Imphal.
The tradition is practised in Manipur's valley area which has 40 of the state's 60 seats. The gifts are heaped around the basil plant in the courtyard.
"During election local women from candidate's locality arrange this. We never take money from the MLA or minister for this," Meerabai Devi, a local resident told NDTV.
But will you give gifts to a candidate you won't vote for? The only answer: a smile.
Often, the occasion is also used by candidates to reinforce their relations with supporters and is a rough barometer of a candidate's popularity in the constituency.
"This gift giving ceremony is an integral part of any political party's campaign. I was in Congress. Now I am in BJP but this ritual remains same. Even my supporters remain same. Its more about people and their leader, not party," explained BJP candidate and former Congress minister N Biren Bingh.