Shirui Festival from May 20 after two-year hiatus
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 15 2025: The 5th State Level Shirui Festival will be held from May 20 to 24 in Ukhrul district after a two-year hiatus due to the ongoing crisis that began on May 3, 2023.The state government has decided to resume the festival under the leadership of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, following a period of relative calm since the imposition of President's Rule in February.

The Shirui Festival, initiated by the state tourism department, is a flagship event showcasing Manipur's cultural and ecological heritage, with special focus on the iconic Shirui Lily - Manipur's state flower, which grows exclusively atop the Shirui hill in Ukhrul district.

Tourism director Pooja Elangbam told The People's Chronicle in an exclusive interview that the festival is a calendar pro gramme with dedicated budget allocation.

Unfortunately, it was suspended for four out of the last five years.

But preparations are now underway to resume it this year, she said.

The festival was earlier suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, before returning briefly in 2022 .

It was again cancelled in 2023 as violence and unrest engulfed the state.

Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla convened a meeting with the festival organising committee at Raj Bhavan on April 2, during which it was decided to extend the festival to five days this year, a day longer than previous editions.

Seven sub-committees have been constituted to ensure the successful conduct of the festival.

Each committee has been instructed to submit proposals to the chief secretary, after which programme arrangements will be finalised.

This year's edition is of special significance as it marks the 75th anniversary of the discovery of the Shirui Lily, further elevating the importance of the festival in the state's tourism calendar, she added.

The Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae) was discovered in 1946 by British botanist and explorer Frank Kingdon-Ward during a botanical expedition to the Shirui Hills in Ukhrul district.

He named the rare flower after his wife, Jean Macklin, which led to its scientific name.

Endemic to Manipur, Shirui Lily is found only in the upper reaches of the Shirui hill ranges, thriving at altitudes between 1,730 and 2,590 metres above sea level.

Known for its delicate beauty and rarity, the flower gained international acclaim when it won the prestigious Merit Prize at the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show in London in 1948 .

Comment