IMPHAL, Aug 3: The 8th Festival of Narrative Arts, 2012 was inaugurated today at Lainingthou Amudon Community Hall, Sagolband Tera Amudon Leirak, Imphal.
The 10 day festival organized by Theatre Centre, Manipur (TCM) was attended by Deputy Director of Arts & Culture W Mera Singh and TCM President Wareppa Naba as chief guest and president respectively.
Deputy Director Mera Singh said that due to fund shortage the department could not organize cultural functions, but he anticipated funds from the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata and North East Zone Culture Centre, Dimapur.
He further said that the state arts & culture department has proposed to the Planning Commission to support the development and preservation of the art forms of Manipur.
Wareppa Naba said that organizing this function is a big step forward to preserving our narrative art forms of Manipur. He added that our art form is related to unique and ancient civilization of Manipur and till today the art form of Manipur carry its uniqueness and depict our civilization in the rest of world. He further said that how far it can go in this competitive and glamorous world.
The objective of this function is to continue to impart the importance of our art forms to the young generation and generation to come, he said.
He further said that the time has come to show the world the beauty of Manipur through these art forms.
He said that Manipur’s culture lies in the different art forms and every moment of our lives is related to it from birth to death, on the birthday we conduct swasti puja and conduct lairik thiba in the time of death.
He said that the narrative art form of Manipur is now near to extinct. He added that today it is hard to find listeners to the Khongjom Parba.
