Governor to inaugurate 1st North East Waree Leeba Festival, 2026
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 31 2026: Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla will inaugurate the 1st North East Waree Leeba Festival, 2026 on November 2 at Irom Meijao Mamang Makha Leikai Community Hall.

The five-day festival is being organised by the Repertory of Waree Leeba Manipur, Khurai Chaithabi Leirak, in collaboration with Irom Meijao Women For Cultural Centre under the Cultural Function and Production Grant (CFPG) Scheme of Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Minister of Art and Culture and Tourism, Khuraijam Loken Singh, will preside over the inaugural function.

Altogether 10 Waree Leeba troupes will take part - five selected troupes from valley districts of Manipur and five from outside Manipur including two from Brahmaputra Valley Branch, Hojai, two from Barak Valley Branch, Cachar and one from Tripura.

Daily, one troupe from Manipur and one from outside will narrate episodes of Mahabharata in chronological order.

As part of the festival, eminent writers including Sahitya Akademi awardee Saratchand Thiyam, columnist Kakchingtabam Gunachandra Sharma and MSKA Awardee Phurailatpam Gunachandra Sharma will deliver talks as resource persons from November 3 to 5.The closing ceremony on November 6 will be graced by Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam as chief guest, Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba as president, Director JNMDA Pukhrambam Bilash Singh and MSKA awardee Loitongbam Brajamohon Singh as guests of honour.

The organisers appealed to all to support in preserving and promoting the traditional narrative art form of Waree Leeba which is gradually declining.

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