Discourse on 'Eeyong Phee & Manipuri Khunnai' held
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 05 2022:
A two-day academic discourse 'Eeyong Phee Amasung Manipuri Khunnai' commenced on Tuesday at MIMS hall, Manipur University.
The discourse is being jointly organised by Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) and six other student bodies namely AMSU, MSF, DESAM, KSA, SUK and AIMS.
Speaking at the inaugural function, AMSU president H Chalamba informed that Manipur which has a history of more than 2000 years was self-sufficient in every way by producing its own products of necessity.
However, after becoming part of India, Manipur has become a dependent state for everything.
As such, economy of the state is deteriorating day by day and becoming increasingly dependent on India, he contended.
Copying the designs of Manipuri weavers, machine-based products are being brought into the state at lower price.
This has created a situation where the local weavers could not produce handloom products, he pointed out.
It would be a big hurdle to the development of the state if weaving of traditional handloom products, which had been the hallmark of Manipur since time immemorial, could not be sustained.
As such, there is an urgent need for producing more qualify handloom products to counter the mass importation of machine-based products, Chalamba opined.
He further urged the indigenes to understand the situation and not to remain as mere spectators.
The first day of the academic discourse was attended by Manipur University of Culture vice chancellor Prof Paonam Gunindro as moderator while cultural activist Mutua Bahadur, Department of Manipuri, MU assistant professor Dr N Sanatomba and Manipur Apex Handloom Weavers and Handicraft Artisan CS Ltd vice president S Bhubol were the panellists.