Opening the doors of Manipur : Looking beyond the Sangai fest
- Sangai Express Editorial :: November 13 , 2013 -

Calculating seriousness or intent of purpose.

No hard bound mathematical formula to come to a logical conclusion, but the series of meetings at the highest level to make a difference in the upcoming State level Sangai Tourism Festival, in a way indicates that the Congress party under the stewardship of Mr Okram Ibobi is serious about putting this annual festival on the map of tourism festival, at least amongst the immediate neighbouring countries.

Adding substance and meaning to the word 'tourism', a point which has already been raised before here.

It is invariably in line with this that an aircraft from Golden Myanmar Airlines is set to touch ground at Tulihal airport at 9.30 am of November 21, the day the Sangai Tourism Festival is set to take off in the evening.

Setting aside a day for Myanmar on November 23, cultural troupes from Assam, Sikkim and Myanmar set to come down here for the festival for the first time.

Chief Ministers of Saigang and Mandalay and other officials from Myanmar expected to attend the festival and clearly, something new seems to be brewing.

Interestingly in between, that is on November 22, the two Chief Ministers from Myanmar along with Chief Minister O Ibobi are scheduled to attend a North East Business Summit at Dibrugarh.

This is important.

Co-incidence or carefully worked out schedule, but the North East Business Summit being held just one day ahead of Myanmar Day at the Sangai Festival is significant in many ways.

And it is this significant point which should not be lost on the people who matter, especially the policy framers of the State.

Underlining a point that the Sangai Festival should be seen beyond its period of festivities, that is from November 21 to November 30.

How successful the State Government will be in taking this festival beyond the period of the festival remains to be seen but this is one opportunity to hardsell Manipur to the neighbouring countries.

Should not only be a question of some entrepreneurs coming from the neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and others as well as other States from the country and hawking their wares here, but should be about how it goes beyond this.

Opening doors. Hardselling Manipur to the outside world. Attracting the attention of investors.

Exposing young and promising entrepreneurs of the State to the rest of the world.

This in essence should sum up the spirit of the Sangai festival, after all a festival with the tag 'tourism' should not be about a period of festivities and merry making but should extend beyond it. It is also important that the festival organisers should seek to see how well the festival goes down with the local population.

Already, the People For Animals, Thoubal has sounded an appeal or a reminder not to repeat the fiasco of last year, when the meat of wild animals, such as wild boars featured in the menu of some eatery stalls.

Likewise, the price of goods or wares sold at the stalls may be monitored. Makes no sense if the local people come out of the festival under the impression that they have been fleeced.

Such a trend does not speak well of the business sense or acumen of the local entrepreneurs who are ready to set up shop at the festival.

At the risk of repeating what has already been said earlier, the 2011 incident should serve as a reminder that nothing can be left to chance.

Paramedics, ambulances, emergency services, fire brigades should all become indispensable part and parcel of the festival.

Many of the points mentioned here have already been laid down earlier some days back, but it would not hurt to remind the Government on certain vital aspects.

As of now, the State Government seems intent on making the festival a grand success.

Let it be so, but at the same time the need to look beyond the festival should not be written off.