Of festival, hype and impact
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 04 2015 -
Now that the dust over the recently held 10-day Sangai Festival is literally settled, it is time for the State Government to assess whether or not if the event had truly contributed in the development of tourism sector and also in generating expected revenues.
Leaders and officials of the State have a tendency to brag about their prowess in successfully holding an event billed as an extravaganza.
Now, it is time for a reality check and to make concise assessment of an event like the Sangai Festival and analyze its strength, weakness and impact.
One should also see that if the emphasis given to the rich cultural traditions of the tribes and communities of the State in the festival has really brought perceptible dividend vis-à-vis the State’s objective of making Manipur figure in the world tourism map.
Observers are correct in stating that Manipur as a State has more than required characteristics of what could be neatly packed and sold to the international tourists beyond the confines of conventional norms.
Here, it should be remembered that promoting tourism on the correct track has to invariably benefit the people in ways that best suits the local milieu.
While promoting the annual festival, the Government should not remain mute to the discomfiture of the people.
If the festival has attracted huge number of local visitors, the authorities should be able to exactly note the difference between the set objectives and the impact.
Plain and simple, if the State Government intends to make Manipur an international tourist spot, it should give effective attention on adopting a globally acceptable standard for international tourists.
While basking in the sun over the successful holding of the annual festival, the responsible authorities should also remember that behind the hype, there is near total disarray in the politics of development in both hills and the valley.
This basically implies the need to seek political and social consensus over the very concept and implementation of an annual event that truly represents the collective will of the people.
In the attempt to make Manipur shine as a global centre of cultural and eco-tourism, the Government should note that culture and people should not be reduced to mere items for exhibition without any cause for celebration.
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