Blooming Manipur : 'community initiative' at Ema Keithel

November 11, 2012

Blooming Manipur at Ema Keithel

EUROPEAN MANIPURI ASSOCIATION
PRESS RELEASE
11 NOVEMBER 2012

Blooming Manipur

Blooming Manipur is an ‘community initiative’ by the European Manipuri Association . The project is inspired by the inspiring and successful ‘Britain in Bloom.’ EMA aims to encourage and create in Manipur beautiful community sites in environmental friendly means through the combined efforts of responsible local residents and volunteers.

Many of us have seen how Manipur could become one of the most beautiful places especially with many visitors to this land , which we called our ‘home’ having been described as a paradise on earth or Switzerland of the east. But unfortunately probably due to lack of interest and initiatives the potential aesthetics of land now remains forgotten or ignored by many of the population. The streets, the communal places and its pristine beautiful landscape resemble a ‘use and throw’ tragic picture. It is apparent that many do not take the responsibility or ownership of the surroundings which have had served them for generations.

Blooming Manipur wishes to encourage our population to understand the relation between people and surroundings, particularly the immediate neighboring vicinity. The agenda is to promote a sense of civic and personal responsibility towards improving the relation. This responsibility can generate the much needed necessary care and attention to our local environment. The responsibility will transform towards enhancing the pride of success and diffuse a sense of ownership and belongingness.

As part of its pilot project, volunteers have installed and planted 56 hanging baskets in the historic Ema Keithel. The objective is to highlight how ‘inexpensive’ beautiful flowers and importantly with the responsible involvement of the local populations can transform one of the most significant landmarks of Manipur. It wishes to reflect the value of this symbol of women’s empowerment of Manipur and change it from being experienced and seen as just another crowded trading place.

Financial contributions made by EMA members and Belinda Morse have helped towards this ‘community concept’ to materialise. Author Belinda Morse have inspirationally and kindly donated many books written by herself, where the fund generated from selling it have contributed towards sustenance of Blooming Manipur at Ema Keithel.

Blooming Manipur at Ema Keithel

A similar community work have also been initiated at Chingmeirong Maning Leikai in Imphal. There local residents took pioneering steps of not only keeping their surrounding clean but also beautiful with the hope of transforming into one of the beautiful environmental friendly localities. As part of the initial small step, residents clean a neglected and highly polluted ‘Lai-Pukhri’. The Lai Pukhri had once multi-purpose functionality in the locality for many, especially those related to with traditional rituals. Today, four old canoes and other locally made wooden boxes with blooming flowers which are placed around the pond and the street have become an attraction for the community where its residents could see the fruitful consequences of their civic responsibility towards their immediate environment. However, much is still required to be done.

Today volunteers gathered at Ema Keithel, also joined by and planted new flowers to add beauty to the shopping experience for ningol chakouba.

Bish Elangbam
Co-ordinator
Blooming Manipur