Miss Shirui Lily 2022 contest :: Pageant should have been 3rd edition : Shirui Yorla
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 31 2022: The Shirui Yorla (Ningol), Imphal has claimed that the beauty pageant organised during the recently concluded Shirui Lily Festival should have been aptly termed as the third edition, whatever the stage title be.

This year a beauty pageant christened 1st Miss Shirui Lily 2022 was held as a part of the 4-day long Shirui Lily Festival.

In a press release, Shirui Yorla, Imphal alleged that there was an absence of proper transition from one stage to another in the conduct of the beauty pageant and 'it would be unjust if one simply ignores and disgraces the earlier contributions and merits of other stakeholders' .

Claiming that they are the one and only group which introduced beauty pageant as an integral event of the State level festival in Ukhrul district, Shirui Yorla continued that the first edition of beauty pageant under the stage title 'Miss Spring' was organised during the Shirui Lily Festival in 2018 .

The statement also enclosed an alleged excerpt from the 'original concept' of "Genesis of Shirui Lily Miss" which read "The Shirui Yorla, Imphal in its meeting dated 2nd December 2017 unanimously resolved to contribute towards preservation and conservation of Shirui Lily, State flower of Manipur.

Such an initiative, it was felt, aside from propagating the fame of Shirui Lily within and outside the State, would also aim at promoting the rich biodiversity of Shirui Kashong (Peak) and her beautiful resources in order to educate and raise awareness so as to protect Shirui Lily and the bio-system that nurtures it.

And also, to present and popularise the legend of Shirui Kashong Philava, Goddess Queen of Shirui Lily to the world.

An activity identified to address these concerns is the "Shirui Lily Miss," a beauty pageant contest.

The Shirui Lily Miss is intrinsically tied to the legend of the Shirui Kashong Philava, Princess and Protector of Shirui Lily and the peak in which it grows" .

Continuing that the change in pageant title was necessitated to avoid any contention and misunderstanding among the people, Shirui Yorla, Imphal maintained that they wilfully delegated the organising rights of the pageant to The Indigenous Foundation (TIF) for three years by entering a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 15, 2019 .

Subsequently, TIF organised the 2nd edition of Miss Spring.

The MoU with the TIF ends on August 15, 2022, it added.

Shirui Yorla continued that they will never shy away from supporting any form of event that promotes women and appealed to the organiser, whoever it may be, to live up to people's expectation in the succeeding editions.

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