Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 12:
The 24th custom and cultural celebration of Leikoiching village was held at the village public ground today.
Vice-chairman of Kabongram-ASA Kashung Shang Social Upliftment Society K Khathing, headman of Leikoiching village AS Kaphungkui and CDO, Leikoiching Cluster, World Vision India D K Laiton attended the inaugural function of the celebration as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Speaking at the occasion, Khathing exhorted younger generation to respect the culture and tradition of their forefathers.
The cultural heritage of our forefathers should be preserved for the posterity, he said.
He further pointed out that the parents and elders of the village have a great role to play in instilling cultural elements to the youngsters.
In his presidential address, village headman AS Kaphungkui observed that the inhabitants of Leikoiching have originally migrated from Tangkhul Hundung (Kabongram) and so there is a close relationship between the people of the two villages.
While enumerating on the aim and objective of organising the custom and cultural celebration as an annual event for the last many years, Kaphungkui hoped that such cultural activities and get-together among the people of the two villages would help in inculcating the spirit of brotherhood among them.
DK Leiton who was guest of honour of the function said that Manipur has been the home to many different groups of people.
We have been born and brought up here together, so it would be very unfortunate to work against our collective cultural identity.
Our culture and tradition should be the window through which the world look at us.
Despite conversion to another religion, we should not forget and ignore our cultural identity.