Bhagyachandra National Dance Festival begins : 11th nov11 ~ E-Pao! Headlines

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Bhagyachandra National Dance Festival begins
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 10 2011: Along with a soul stirring performance of Maha Raas, the 9th edition of Bhagyachandra National Festival of Classical Dance, 2011 was inaugurated by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh at the sacred Kaina temple today.

The festival which would go on till November 13 is being organized by the Art and Culture Deparment of Government of Manipur in association with Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), Kolkata and North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh observed that Kaina is an important and sacred site associated with Meidingu Chingthangkhomba, popularly known as Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, who introduced the Manipuri classical dance Raas to the world in 1797 A.D .

According to legend, Shree Shree Govindajee appeared in the dream of Rajarshi Bhagyachandra and He asked the King to create an image of Him from a jackfruit growing in the hillock of Kaina and to worship it.

Accordingly, the King instructed his master craftspersons to carve the image of the god out of logs of a jackfruit tree that grew at Kaina hillock and thus, began the worship of Shree Shree Govindajee by the Vaishnavite Hindus in Manipur, the Chief Minister recalled.

CM, Ibobi and MLA O Landhoni releasing a souvenir of the Natl Dance Festival

Kaina is not just a tourist spot, but the second Brindavan for the Vaishnavite Hindus in Manipur, the Chief Minister added.

Observing that Manipur is known to the outside world through its sports, culture and tradition and the government has been trying to promote sports and culture at the highest level, the Chief Minister maintained that organizing the National festival of classical dance itself is an endevour towards promotion of culture.

For proper development of Kaina temple complex, which is not just a popular tourist spot but also a sacred religious site, proper fencing would be erected around the complex soon, the Chief Minister assured.

He also released a souvenir to mark the inaugural function of 9th edition of Bhagychandra National Festival of Classical Dance, 2011 .

In continuation of the function, Nat Sanskirtan and Maha Raas were performed with Aribam Chitreshwore Sharma as Jagoi Ngakpa.

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