1. PM addresses Manipur Sangai Festival via video message
Tags: Festivals State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Manipur Sangai Festival via video message on 30 November.
Important facts
Every year the State of Manipur celebrates the “Manipur Sangai Festival” from 21st to 30th November.
It started in the year 2010 and over the years has grown into a great platform to showcase the rich tradition and culture of Manipur to the world.
The theme of the festival is “Festival of Oneness”. It promotes a sense of belonging and creates pride in ownership of land among people.
The festival showcases the glorious cultural heritage of the state and the love for art that is inherent in the various tribes living in the state of Manipur.
Manipur’s famous martial arts- Thang Ta (a combination Spear and Sword skills), Yubi-Lakpi (a game played with greased coconut like rugby), Mukna Kangjei (a game that combines hockey and wrestling), and Sagol Kangjei- Modern Polo (believed to have evolved in Manipur) were all form part of the festival.
Celebrated as the grandest festival in the state, the Manipur Sangai Festival helps in promoting Manipur as a world-class tourist destination.
The festival is named after the state animal, the Sangai, a deer found only in Manipur.
About Sangai Deer
It is an endemic and endangered subspecies of brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur, India.
It is found in its natural habitat only in Keibul Lamjao National Park, locally in the south eastern part of Loktak Lake.
It is the state animal of Manipur.
IUCN status : Endangered
2. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attend Manipur's Sangai Festival as a chief guest
Tags: Festivals Person in news State News
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended Manipur's Sangai festival as a chief guest on 27 November 2022 under the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' initiative of the Government of India. Manipur’s biggest festival Sangai is being held from 21 -30 November 2022.Under the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' Manipur and Madhya Pradesh are partner states.
Artist of Madhya Pradesh will perform traditional dance form of Manipur’s like Mao tribe’s Naurata dance, Thai dance troupes etc. Before this, Imphal had participated in the Lokrang Mahotsav of Bhopal and now Bhopal is participating in Sangai Mahotsav of Imphal.
The theme of this festival is the 'Festival of Oneness.' Sangai is the state animal of Manipur, which is found only in Manipur.
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
The Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme was launched by the Prime Minister Modi on 31st October, 2015 on the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
- The Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme is a unique initiative by the Government to promote the spirit of national integration and to strengthen the fabric of emotional bonds between the people of our country.
- Every State and UT in the country would be paired with another State/UT for a time period, during which they would carry out a structured engagement with one another in the spheres of language, literature, cuisine, festivals, cultural events, tourism etc.
3. Biggest Manipur festival Sangai commences in the state
Tags: Festivals State News
Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the biggest tourism festival of Manipur -Sangai festival on 21 November 2022 at Moirang Khunou in Bishnupur district of Manipur.
The 11th Sangai festival will be held from 21 -30 November 2022. The festival which started in 2010 is being held after a 2 year gap due to covid. It is being held in 13 venues across six districts.
The festival is called Sangai festival to highlight the uniqueness of the shy and gentle deer popularly known as the Sangai in the region. It is a rare species of deer which is also the state animal of Manipur.
The theme of the Sangai festival 2022 is :‘ Festival of Oneness’.
The indigenous sagol kangjei, a sport that has now evolved into the modern game of polo, will also be featured during the festival in its very own birthplace. The Men’s International Polo Tournament will be held in Imphal and the CM’s Sagol Kangjei Tournament in Kangla as part of the festival.
Other major festivals of Manipur
Gang-Ngai
Celebrated for five days in the month of December/January, Gang-Ngai is an important festival of the Kabui Nagas.
Lui-Ngai-Ni
It is a collective festival of the Nagas observed on the 15th day of February every year. This is a seed sowing festival after which tribes belonging to the Naga group begin their cultivation.
Yaoshang
Celebrated for five days commencing from the full moon day of Phalguna (February/March), Yaoshang is the premier festival of Manipur. The Thabal Chongba – a kind of Manipuri fold dance, where boys and girls hold hands together and sing and dance in a circle, is particularly associated with this festival. Yaoshang to Manipur is what Durga Puja is to Bengal, Diwali in north India and Bihu to Assam.
Cheiraoba: The Manipuri New Year
It is celebrated during the month of April. Villagers climb the nearest hilltops in belief that it will enable them to rise to greater heights in their worldly life.
Kang: The Ratha Yatra of Manipur
One of the greatest festivals of the Hindus of Manipur, this festival is celebrated for ten days in the month of July. Lord Jagannath leaves his temple in a car known as “Kang” in Manipur pulled by devotees who vie with one another for this honour.
Heikru Hitongba
Celebrated in the month of September, Heikru Hitongba is a boat race. Long narrow boats are used to accommodate a large number of rowers. An idol of Lord Vishnu is installed before the commencement of the race.
Ningol Chak-kouba: A social festival of the Manipuris
It is a remarkable social festival of the Meiteis. Married daughters of the family come to their parental house along with their children and enjoy a sumptuous feast. It is celebrated on the second day of the new moon in the month of Hiyangei (November) as per Manipur Calendar system.
Kut: Festival of Kuki- Chin- Mizo
It is an autumn festival of the different tribes of Kuki-Chin-Mizo groups of Manipur. It is a happy occasion for the villagers whose food stock is bountiful after a year of hard labour. It is observed on the 1st November every year.
Chumpha: Festival of Tangkhul Nagas
Celebrated for seven days in the month of December, the Chumpha Festival is a great festival of the Rangkhul Nagas. The festival is held after harvest.
