Newmai News Network Imphal | April 18 The Government of Manipur will organize a 5-day Shirui Lily Festival 2017 from May 15 to 19 at Shirui village, the home of Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae), in Ukhrul district. The Lily, discovered by Britisher Frank Kingdon Ward in 1948, grows only in the Shirui Peak and blooms in the month of May and June. The State had declared Shirui Lily as State Flower in 1989. The meeting of the Organizing Committee of Shirui Lily Festival 2017 was held today at the Cabinet Hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat chaired by the Chief Minister, N Biren Singh. “We have three things in Manipur which are unique in the World – Sangai, Shirui and Manipuri Polo. The State Government has already organized festivals in the name of Sangai and Manipuri Polo, but a festival for Shirui is yet to be organized. And I felt that we must organize a grand festival in the name of the Shirui” the Chief Minister stated during the meeting. It was also decided that the opening ceremony will be held at IFAD Ground, Shirui village and the closing ceremony at Tangkhul Naga Long ground, Ukhrul. Various sub-committees, programme sub-committee, cultural sub-committee, exhibition sub-committee, media sub-committee and transport sub-committee were also constituted for the grand success of the festival.
