Sangai festival to begin today
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 20 2013: Billed as the biggest annual tourism festival of the State, the 10-day long Manipur Sangai Festival, 2013 is all to begin from tomorrow with the promises of showcasing the rich cultural heritage, eco-adventure activities, indigenous food and handicraft of the State to the visitors from within and outside.

Elaborate arrangements including that of security measures have been made for the festival where many foreign delegates, Union ministers and VIPs and representatives from NGOs are expected to be present.

The inaugural function of the festival at Hapta Kangjeibung and BOAT tomorrow would be attended by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of DoNER Paban Singh Ghatowar as Chief Guest and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh as President while Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, Chief Minister of Mandalay Region, Myanmar U Ye Myint; Chief Minister of Sagaing Region, Mynamar U Thar Aye; Parliamentary Secretary in Charge of Government of Manipur Mairembam Prithviraj Singh and GOSK, High Commissioner, Mauritius Dr AK Jagessur as Guests of Honour.

The well decorated venue of Manipur Sangai Festival-2013 scheduled to kick off from November 21 at Hapta Kangjeibung, Palace Compound

Like every year, the main attraction of the festival is going to be performances by cultural troupes from foreign countries like Thailand and Myanmar.

For the first time in the history of the festival, the Myanmarese private airliner, Golden Myanmar would be touching down at Tulihal Airport at Imphal carrying a large team of delegates from Myanmar including the Chief Ministers of Mandalay and Sagaing Region.

Apart from stalls exhibiting an array of indigenous handloom and handicraft products, and offering indigenous cuisines at the main venue of the festival at Hafta Kangjeibung, indigenous sports would be showcased during each day of the festival at Mapal Kangjeibung, where the 7th Manipur Polo International Tournament, 2013 is already underway.

To ensure that no untoward incident occur during the festival, police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in and around the festival venues and the security personnel are patrolling various parts of the state capital to detect movement of anti-social elements in view of the recent bomb blasts in different parts of the State.

In addition to the normal menu on offer by the State Tourism Department, Sana Konung Semgat Lup would also be organising a traditional boat race competition at the Thangapat of Sana Konung on November 23 at 1.30 pm in the presence of the two Chief Ministers of Myanmar, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and titular king of Manipur, Leishemba Sanajaoba.