District Day events add gloss to Festival
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 27 2012:
Inspite of the inauspicious start to the Manipur Sangai Festival 2012 at Hapta Kangjeibung, following inept handling of the stall allotment process and mid-event controversies on the sale of wild animal meat items in one of the stalls and last evening's pandemonium involving a Minister, cultural items showcased during the Festival's District Day programmes have turned out to be saving grace for the organisers.
According to the Dr K Sobita Devi, Director of Art and Culture, an associate department of the Festival, overwhelming response by tribal cultural troupes and equally impressive gathering of spectators on all seven days of the District Day indicate that the Festival has achieved one of its goals of showcasing Manipur's rich cultural heritage.
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Expressing hope that participation by cultural troupes from all the five hill districts of Manipur would be transformed into strengthening the emotional bond amongst various ethnic communities settled in the State, Dr sobita said energetic display and enthusiasm of the participants were appreciated by the festival revellers.
While 71 artistes representing Senapati district enthralled the crowd through their folk and war dances, 115-strong Tamenglong district cultural troupe showcased a fusion of ethnicity and modernity as their performances also included traditional couple show along with harvest and fish-hornbill dances, she said.
On the otherhand, Churachandpur district, with largest number of festival contingent at 250 artistes, presented live performances intermixed with audio-visual presentation of the district and a festival theme song.
For Chandel district represented by 153 artistes the performances were based on traditional harvest festivals of various tribes settled in the district while 150 artistes of Ukhrul district highlighted rich cultural heritage of the Tangkhuls along with presentations on the Shirui Lily and traditional musical instruments, said the director.
Confiding the Art and Culture Department was provided Rs 30 lakh to organise the cultural events, Dr Sobita said that during the seven day District Day programmes, staging of courtyard plays (Shumang Leela) at the Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre (BOAT) by various groups and cultural items of Thailand were the other main attractions of the Festival.
While ballet shows, Pung Cholom, Qawali and traditional Manipur folk songs would be on display tomorrow on November 29, the last day of the Festival will have traditional and contemporary fashions shows along with musical concerts, said the Director.