Sangai Festival 2015 to showcase indigenous housing designs
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Nomita Khongbantabam

Imphal, November 12 2015: The 10-day Sangai Festival to be held from November 21 will showcase traditional houses of various indigenous communities of the State apart from variegated cultural items.

Traditional housing designs of different indigenous communities of Manipur will be displayed at the Hapta Kangjeibung, where all the main events of the festival will be held.

Sources said traditional house of the Meetei's, the Sangai Yumjao (residential home) will be constructed with Awang Sangoi (north side utility hall), Sumang (courtyard) and Mamang Pukhri (front pond).

The courtyard will also be adorned with Mera Thaomei (lamp lit in autumn) which occupies an important place in the State's social configuration highlighting the bond between communities in the hills and the valley.

Sangai Festival 2015 to showcase indigenous housing designs

Director of Tribal Museum Yumnam Gyaneshore under whose supervision the traditional houses are being constructed said traditional housing designs of various communities including that of Tangkhul, Maring, Mao, Maram, Kom, Zeme, Liangmai, Thadou, Khongsai, Poumai, Rongmei will be exhibited during the festival.

He also informed that housing designs being followed in Yangkhulen and Molcham villages in Chandel will also be displayed.

The construction of various traditional houses of Manipur began from October 21 last since there was instruction to complete the same before November 15.However, it has been learnt that some houses being built as exhibits are facing problems due to shortage of traditional building materials.

Some observers said that the State government is not sure of making these constructions permanent and no one really knows whether these structures will be temporary or not.

Meanwhile, sources said that the Asian Theatre Festival will be held at Chandrakriti Auditorium Hall while Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC) will be the host of Film Festival.

During the ten day long festival, many Shumang Leela (courtyard theatre) will be staged at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Sanglen.

The venue of various cultural items will be at Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre.

During the festival, two groups from female and six other groups from male will participate in the Shumang Leela shows.

The Asian Theatre Festival at Chandrakriti Auditorium Hall and Film Festival at MFDC will be held under the aegis of Sangai Festival Committee while the Arts and Culture Department will be responsible for the cultural programmes at Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre.