Imphal, February 15, 2010: Queen Apei Hinga, graced the Naga seed sowing festival at Katomei village in Senapati today. Speaking on the occasion, Queen Hinga blessed with the words, "I wish you all my children, as you start to sow seed and cultivate, may your harvest be as rich as and be bountiful as 'Sba Srung' and 'Smiiti' (a kind of fruits)".

Queen Hinga then said that as per the custom and tradition, the first seed is sown by the king or the queen after performing certain rituals like fasting and abstinence.

The abstinence even includes marital relationship.

"Thereafter, the general public would follow suit in seed sowing of their own and so is the same for transplantation.

And as the queen, I had done these rituals from the day you have invited me to be the Chief Celebrant (of Lui-Ngai-Ni)", was what Queen Hinga said.

Colourful cultural programmes marked today's Lui-Ngai-Ni celebration.

Apart from the Naga cultural troupes, the Kukis, the Gorkhas and other communities participated in the festivities.

There was also an exhibition of Naga cuisines during the festival today.

This year's Lui-Ngai-Ni was celebrated by the Nagas in various places under the theme, "Our Resources, Our Future".

United Naga Council (UNC) chief Samson Remmei, social worker Artax Shimray, Minister of TD, District Council and Hills, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, DD Thaisii, ANSAM president David Choro, Naga leaders like Paul Leo, ex-Minister Francis Ngajokpa, MLAs Awangbou Newmai and K Raina, former ANSAM chief Paulring Langhu, Naga women leader Grace Satshang, Naga Hoho vice president, representatives of All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur, Tangkhul Naga Long, Tarao Tribe Union, Manipur, Chandel Naga People's Organisation, Naga People's Movement for Human Rights and many others participated in the state level Lui-Ngai-Ni festival.

Meanwhile, a Lui-Ngai-Ni festival was also held at Majorkhul in Imphal organised by Zeliangrong Interim Baudi (ZIB), Zeliangrong Union and Zeliangrong Youth Front.

Stating the significance of the festival, R Chandra Hoamei, general secretary, ZCCHP said that Lui-Ngai-Ni is being celebrated since ancient times where the beautiful Naga ladies and the handsome Naga gentlemen clad with traditional attires used to offer the workers sowing the seed for the whole year.

The Nagas pray for yielding agricultural productivity for the whole year, added R.Chandra Haomei.

Lui-Ngai-Ni was declared a state holiday in an inaugural function held in Imphal on February 15, 1987.At that function of 1987, the then Union Minister PA Sangma, the then Chief Minister, Rishang Keishing and the then MP Meijinlung Kamson graced the occasion as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Today's festival was graced by dignitaries, Poujairung Thaimei, vice president, ZCCHCP, B Ahuiba, vice president, Zeliangrong Interim Baudi (ZIB-Assam, Manipur, Nagaland), Thambaljao Phaomei, counselor, Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) as a chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

In the meanwhile, our Tamenglong correspondent, Daniel Kamei reports: after Naga People Organization announce to hold seed sowing festival, LUI-NGAI-NI celebration at respective district level a LUI- NGAI- NI celebration was observed here at Shekinh- In, Tamenglong District HQs with Rev.N Palmei, former President of Zeliangrong Union, AMN as resource person today.

Very few people turn up for observation of Lui- Ngai- Ni a big festival of Nagas.

Speaking on the occasion, Rev.N Palmei said due to the weaknesses of the United Naga Council, UNC we could not organise the biggest Nagas� festival in proper way.

He expressed deep concern of less participants.

Explaining the meaning of LUI- NGAI- NI, Rev.N Palmei said that Lui meant festival in Tangkhul dialect- Ngai meant festival in Rongmei dialect and -Ni meant festival in Mao and Liangmei dialect.

Three four dialects put together to form LUI- NGAI- NI (Festival- Festival-Festival), he said.

To identity a person or tribe once need to have separate dance, dialect, song, festival and dresses too.

As a Nagas we need to preserve the rich cultures to identity us, he noted.

LUI- NGAI- NI festival symbolises the unity among the Nagas for development and not for destruction, he observed.

He also narrated the Nagas history in brief.

In the meantime, the programme committee of Rani Gaidinliu Death Anniversary Committee Tamenglong is organising 17th Death Anniversary of Rani Gaidinliu "Padma Bhusan on 17th February 2010 at Zeliangrong House, Tamenglong District HQs with Joseph Pauline, ADM Tamenglong as chief guest, D.Dikambui, former President of ZU (AMN) and Keilamsuang Panmei, Lecturer Tml College as president of the function and resource person respectively, the committee informed the Hueiyen Lanpao here today.

Inviting the general public to take part in the observance the committee said that programme will be entertained by singing folk song, customary song and patriotic song by different groups and persons.

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