A four-day long national workshop on “Axiology of Manipuri Culture” was inaugurated at the Department of Dance and Music, Manipuri University, Canchipur on Tuesday.
The programme was organised by department of Dance and Music, Manipur University in collaboration with department of Philosophy, Manipur University under the aegis of UGC-STRIDE Component-1, UGC New Delhi.
Addressing the function, Vice-Chancellor, Manipur University Professor N Lokendra Singh said that Manipur has a good number of artists of any performing arts but scholastic of this field is being done by a limited number of people. Manipur is bestowed with rich culture, tradition and different performing art forms.
However, it is gradually eroding each day and many veteran artists have also expressed their worries about the extinction of those art forms some day until proper care is given. Amid this situation, the role of the department of Dance and Music is immense in preservation and promotion of various art forms of state including all communities, the VC said.
Retired IAS officer, RK Nimai Singh said that culture is such a diverse topic as it even includes customs, norms, ideas, social behaviour of one’s particular community. But in fact, people usually try to equate it with performing arts of the state, he noted.
He said that it is necessary to understand the culture of other communities if one wants to acquire the full knowledge of the culture of their own community. There are a lot of similarities with the culture and performing arts of Manipur with that of South East Asian Countries. Through comparative studies of the culture of those countries and states, people could help to figure out more about the present status of Manipuri culture, Nimai noted.
Talking about degradation of art and culture, he also said that change of culture, tradition and arts is constant. However, the state should at least be concerned about protection and preservation of its core values or unique things that help to signify the Manipuriness in the society, the retired IAS officer said.
Culture and performing arts of the state is similar, however, comparative studies of culture of various communities is needed, said that Convenor of the programme, P Lilabati Devi who is also Dean in-charge of department of Dance and Music, Manipur University. She further said that the theme of the workshop itself suggests that it will discuss universal human and societal values, aesthetics, social dynamics, futurology, genesis of Manipuri culture and Manipuri performing arts. It aims to delve deeper into the nuances of Manipuri culture and highlights multi-facets of Manipuri performing arts in past and present Manipuri society, Devi said.
She further stated that the main objective of the workshop is to showcase the value as well as to promote Manipuri culture by formulating conceptual framework on the given theme in general.
Other dignitaries who attended the function were Dean, School of Humanities, Manipur University; Prof N Aruna Devi and Dean, Students’ Welfare and Head of Department of Philosophy, Manipur University, L Bishwanath Sharma as chairperson and guest of honour respectively.
As a part of the programme a book entitled “Panoramic views on Manipuri Culture” was also released.
