IMPHAL, Dec 5: The 2nd edition of the Barak Festival 2015 will start from December 10 and continue till December 13 2015 at the Senapati head quarter Mini Stadium ground under the theme of Barak-let live, announced Naga Peoples’ Organisation president T Kamba Moses.
Speaking to media persons today at their office in Senapati, he said that this is the 2nd edition of the Barak Festival as it is celebrated every two years.
He said the festival provides the five tribes of Senapati district including Mao, Maram, Paomai Naga, Thanga and Seliangrong a common platform under the aegis of the NPO.
He further said that the aim and objective of the festival is to promote the culture and tradition of the five tribes on a common platform.
He said this year the festival is being organised under the theme Barak-Let live to celebrate the blessings of the benevolent river and to promote conservation of the river and the environment and ecology of the district in general.
He added as an ongoing effort to encourage conservation of the river, the NPO along with other organisations had since 2012 banned washing of clothes and vehicles in the river in certain areas of the district particularly at Karong area, with the local youth bodies authorised to collect fines including Rs 5000 for washing vehicles and Rs 500 for washing clothes, etc.
He further said that NPO has instructed every villages inhabiting near the Barak River banks not to dirty the river water and to instead plant trees in the river catchment areas.
The first edition of the festival was held in 2012.
The NPO and its component organisations have decided to constitute a committee to organise the festival and from 2016, the festival will be held at the Liyai Village annually.