IMPHAL, January 11: It is of utmost importance that the State government provide some financial assistance to promote the cultural discipline of Thang-Ta on a much larger scale, said former commissioner Arts and Culture, IAS (retd) P Bhorot Singh today.
He was speaking as the chief guest while inaugurating the festival of Thang-Ta at the complex of the Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association.
Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal, a constituent unit of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi in collaboration with Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association, Irilbung, Imphal East is organising the festival as part of its year-long diamond jubilee celebration.
The inaugural function of the three-day long festival was also attended by JNMDA (retd) director L Joychandra Singh as president.
The State, Bhorot observed, has a rich and vibrant culture which is being showcased at numerous cultural festivals in the State as well as outside the State.
He also lauded the JNMDA for including the Thang-Ta festival in its diamond jubilee observation.
Thang-Ta is one cultural exponent of the State which has been much appreciated by people from outside the State, he continued urging the State government to come forward and put more efforts to promote the Thang-Ta which is one of the oldest art form of the State.
The art form is today being preserved and supported by NGOs and professional artists and it is time for the government to atleast allocate one percent of the State fund to assist in the efforts, he continued.
He further observed that regularising a uniform costume and rule and regulation of the art form would help much in putting it on a universal platform.
Gurus of different institutes teaching Thang-Ta were also felicitated during the programme.
