Source: Manipur Mail
Imphal, January 08:
A 400-member Manipur cultural team will participate in a six-day festival of Manipur 2003 starting at Swabhumi in Kolkata on January 14, Manipur Arts and culture minister M Nara Singh said here today.
A film festival will begin on January 11.Talking to mediapersons, Singh said the team which included eminent film makers, theatre personalities, artistes, musicians and tribal dancers would perform in various cultural events during the festival.
The main objective of the festival was to give exposure to talents from Manipur and to spread the message of peace through cultural programmes, he said adding that cultural programmes such as singing of pena', 'pung cholom', 'thang-ta' and tribal folk dances would be the highlights of the festival.
Performances of 'maharasa' and famous Manipur ballet 'Wainu pareng' by artistes of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur dance academy would also form part of the festival, he said.
'Devdas' a Shujnang Leela by the Sana Leibak Nachom Artistes will also be shown.
Nara Singh also thanked Chairman of Swabhumi, Harshabardhan Neotia for his cooperation and support in organising the festival in Kolkata.
While Director of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy, I Joychandra Singh would speak on contemporary Manipuri literature, Pabitra Sarkar, an academician, would speak on the cultural relation between West Bengal and Manipur during the festival, the minister added.
The team would be leaving Imphal on January 10 at 9 am.
A team of 18 journalists are also going.
The EZCC, NEZCC and many other sponsors helped the state government in organ sing the festival.
Large numbers of people and organizations have invited the artistes to show the items in various parts of the state.
Many Manipuri dance exponents from Bangladesh and other countries would be coining to show their dance items be fore the Gurus of Manipur he said.
About Rs 25 lakhs would be spent out of which the state is allotting only about Rs 3 lakhs he said.
It is not merely a festival of dance and music.
It is a mission representing the people of Manipur and carrying the goodwill message of peace and brotherhood.