Newmai News Network Imphal | May 15 Ukhrul is all set to host the 5-day Shirui Festival at the state level sponsored by the Manipur Government. The festival will kick off on Tuesday, May 16. To promote the festival, a motor rally was flagged off by Manipur Deputy Chief Minister, Y Joykumar at Kangla in the heart of Imphal. A Tangkhul cultural troupe performed a cultural dance at the programme. After traversing most parts of Imphal, the rallyists culminated the programme at Moirang in the south of Manipur. Cultural items from different communities, displays of Tangkhul traditional cuisines and attires, flower show, painting competition and entertainment programmes will mark the five-day festival at Shirui village under Ukhrul district, Manipur. Shirui Lily, first discovered by the British in 1946 as the lily that is found only at Shirui village, has become the Manipur State flower. Earlier, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had said that the “State Government is going to organise Shirui Festival at State level with the objective of promoting the uniqueness of Shirui flower and encouraging brotherhood and oneness among the people of different communities of the State”. The Chief Minister had made the statement while speaking at the launch of official website (www.shiruifestival.gov.in) of Shirui Festival, 2017 in the Cabinet Hall of CM’s Secretariat on May 9. Conveying that around Rs 1.5 crore would be spent in holding the event, the Chief Minister said that people’s participation and enthusiasm in making preparations for the festival is immense.
- Biren said that apart from delegates from foreign countries, cultural troupes from other North East States like Sikkim and Nagaland would also perform during the five-day festival.
