Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh inaugurated Mangkang Festival 2021 cum 13th General Conference of Northern Maram Women Organisation (NMWO) through video conferencing from Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Imphal Saturday.
Speaking at the occasion, the chief minister said that Mangkang is an annual Spring festival of Maram womenfolk. Based on the Maram lunar calendar, the festival usually takes place on the 4th day of the new month of Fiibui-kii (March in a leap year) or April (Tingpui-kii) in a regular year.
He said that the festival testifies how advanced Maram women are in civilizational values. It shows their discipline, decency and character, he added. He expressed regret for not being able to attend the festival at Maram due to COVID-19 pandemic. He said that he would visit Maram and interact with villagers and womenfolk when COVID-19 cases drop.
N Biren Singh said, he understands that the festival is traditionally celebrated at ancestral Maram Khullen (Maramei Namdi) village. However, in recent years, as an effort to promote the festival, it is organised at different villages once in three years since 2001.
Cultural items presentations and Miss Mangkang contest will be the special highlights of the festival which will wind up on Sunday. Forest minister Awangbow Newmai, Manipur Legislative Assembly deputy speaker K Robindro and former MLA Francis Ngajokpa were present at the festival venue while CAF and PD minister Th Satyabrata, advisor to chief minister (Health) Dr Sapam Ranjan and Kakching assembly constituency MLA M Rameshwar were seated at Imphal with the chief minister.
