IMPHAL May 8: Like in their home state of Assam, the Assamese population in Manipur is celebrating the Rongali Bihu in Imphal.The festival which is the bigesst of the three Bihus kick started today with much jubilation and festivities at Devalaya, Kalibari, Thangal bazaar, Imphal. Rongali Bihu, the biggest of the three Bihu and also the biggest spring festival of Assam is celebrated through out Assam from April 15 to May 15 for one month every year or during Bohag in the Assamese calendar said Siva Prasad Sarmah, secretary, Rongali Bihu committee, Manipur.The other two Bihus are Bhogali Bihu celebrated to mark the end of harvesting season and Kaati Bihu celebrated as an orison to goddess Lakshmi for bountiful harvest. He further added that the festival will start everyday from 8am on wards till late in the evening.A formal inauguration ceremony was held today in the morning to mark the beginning of this month long festival. The inaugural ceremony was presided by Upen Basumatary, president Rongali Bihu committee, as president, prof. N. Tombi Singh, president Manipuri Sahitya Parisad, as chief guest and prof. W. Nabakumar, dean, School of Environmental Studies, M.U., as guest of honour respectively.The month long celebration is organized by the Rongali Bihu committee (an integration of Rainbow and Asom Samaj), Manipur.While giving his speech as the guest of honour Prof. W. Nabakumar, encouraged the organizing committee for organizing such festivals in Imphal for the first time, he further added that the cultural prgramme of Rongali Bihu in the state is a rare occassionand added that the celebration will certainly helped in bridging the gap between different communities and tribes of the state and other states who are staying together in Manipur.He also emphasized the need to adopt the values of cultures and traditions, that can give ones own identity.Later in the evening a felicitation programme was held and cultural programmes were also presented by various artists and troupes from Assam as well as from the state. N.Kunjarani, Padmashree awardee, Arambam Boby Singh, Mr. World 2011 in 75kg, Kh. Pradipkumar, ambassador Manipur Aids Control Society(MACS), B.S. Meisnamba and E Sonamani, retd IAS, Sahitya academy awardee were felicitated for their contributions to the society. Many people of different communities jam packed the Devalaya auditorium, Thangal bazaar, in the evenning to witness the cultural programmes that followed after the felicitation.
