1st State Level Barak Festival opens
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, December 12 2018:
The 1st State Level Barak Festival, 2018 was opened with Barak trekking on December 11 while Barak Run, 2018 was held today in the early morning.
Around 50 trekkers comprising five major tribes of Senapati and hundreds of other adventure lovers joined together to part in the trekking under the theme, "Sustaining Peace and Harmony" .
The Barak Marathon was flagged off by Col Gaurav Mahindra, Commandant, 34 AR, Maram from Barak River, Karong to Mini Stadium Ground, Senapati while DC Senapati, SP Senapati, CMO Senapati, officials of Naga People's Organization (NPO) and SDSA along with 100 runners in four categories which include U-16 (Boys and Girls) and above 16 (men and women) participated in the marathon.
It may be mentioned that the idea of Barak Festival was conceived some years back by the Naga People's Organization (NPO) for the collective tribes of Tahamzam (Senapati) district and was first celebrated in 2013.Since then, it has been continuously celebrated in December 11-13 every year as a district event under the aegis of the NPO, the apex civil society organization of the district.
However, the Barak Festival has now celebrated as a State level festival, courtesy to Chief Minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh, who during his inaugural speech of the Barak Spring Fest, 2017, have declared that it would be celebrated at State level.
The theme of the festival "Sustaining Peace & Harmony sends out a clarion call to all the people to leave the path of violence and destruction and come together for building a common bright future based on everlasting peace and harmony.
MS Jerome, Convenor, Central organizing Committee of Barak Festival, 2018 stated that the Barak Festival, 2018 is aimed at showcasing the traditional hospitality of the people of the region, its rich culture, abundance of nature and the socio-economic affinity of the Barak communities and said that it brings all the communities together to celebrate the blessings while reaffirming the indispensable role of the Barak river for the livelihood and the prosperity of the people and peaceful co-existence.
Somorjit Salam, IAS, DC, Senapati and M Pradeep Singh, IPS, SP, Senapati attended the Barak Voice Hunt event as chief guest and guest of honour respectively.