Sangai Fest: Views of Myanmar team
More cordial relationship needed beyond diplomacy
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 24 2013: Noting that the people of Manipur and Myanmar have been in constant touch since time immemorial, the visiting Myanmarese delegates want to establish more friendly ties with the Manipuris beyond the diplomatic policies of India and Myanmar.

A strong team of about 160 delegates led by the Chief Ministers of Mandalay and Sagaing Regions of Myanmar are taking part at the ongoing Manipur Sangai Festival-2013.Some premium stalls of the Myanmar team are also being opened at the festival venue.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao in an exclusive interview at the venue of Sangai Festival at Hapta Kangjeibung, the proprietor of Tun Tun Silver Smith and Silverwares, Sagaing Region, U Tun Tun said that the people of Manipur and Myanmar have lots of similarities.

The present diplomatic policies are good for both the countries, but a more friendly approach is needed to build a good relationship among the people.

More cultural exchange programmes and interactions among the people would be beneficial in building the cordial relationship, he noted.

A stall of Myanmar Handicraft of Sagaing Region at Manipur Sangai Festival

He further said that the Sangai Festival is a platform where people of both Manipur and Myanmar can interact with one another to enhance mutual cooperation and bring about economic development in the regions.

A Bengali diaspora from Mandalay Region U Thein Htun alias Santosh Mahajan said, "I am happy to visit the land of my forefathers.

I had been to West Bengal in my first visit to India.

This is my second visit to India as a delegate of Manipur Sangai Festival" .

An entrepreneur in Mandalay Region, Santosh owns the "Lucky Enterprises" which manufactures candles and incense sticks for sales throughout Myanmar.

He hopes to expand his enterprise even to the State through one of his branches located at Napharlon Market, Tamu near to Manipur's Moreh border town.

A devout Hindu by religion, this Bengali entrepreneur was overwhelmed on getting a chance to visit the ISKCON Mani Mandir and Govindajee Temple here in Imphal.

On being asked about his Myanmarese name, he said, "It is always beneficial to keep a name in the language of the majority people" .

A Manipuri diaspora in the Myanmarese delegation also shared his joyous experience in the land of his ancestors.

He wants more of such festivals to be organized in order to bring the diasporas much closer to their roots.

The stalls of Myanmar Handicraft of Sagaing and Mandalay Regions are offering wide range of artistic silverwares and lacquer wares to the visitors of Sangai Festival.

Most of the Myanmarese delegates left Imphal today.

However, few stalls from Mandalay Region would remain opened till the end of this festival.