Manipur Governor inaugurates Sangai Festival amid widespread protests

The 12th edition of the Manipur Sangai Festival was inaugurated on November 21 at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal, by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla amid unprecedented opposition, protests, and a near-total boycott across the state.

This year’s festival, resuming after a two-year break, opened under heavy security deployment as several organisations, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), strongly opposed the celebration. Protesters argued that the state should not host a cultural festival when thousands remain displaced and normalcy has yet to return. As a result, the inauguration witnessed one of the lowest public turnouts in the festival’s history.

The Governor, accompanied by the First Lady, visited the festival grounds before addressing the gathering at the Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre (BOAT). In his speech, he said the Sangai Festival continues to serve as a powerful platform showcasing Manipur’s cultural diversity, entrepreneurial spirit, and tourism potential.

He described Manipur’s cultural heritage as “a national treasure” and said the multi-venue format adopted this year reflects the State’s resilience and collective drive toward economic recovery. The festival, he said, is expected to boost livelihoods of artisans, youth, and local enterprises.

Emphasising unity, the Governor stated that the Sangai Festival is envisioned as a “Festival of Oneness,” bringing together communities from both the hills and the valley through shared cultural pride. He highlighted Manipur’s legacy as the birthplace of Modern Polo—locally known as Sagol Kangjei—and reiterated efforts to preserve the endangered Manipuri Pony.

He added that over 135 potential tourist sites across the state are being identified for integrated development to strengthen Manipur’s tourism landscape.

Acknowledging the ongoing humanitarian crisis, the Governor stressed that the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons remains a top government priority. He outlined measures such as phased rehabilitation, financial aid, prefabricated shelters, and cash-assistance programmes designed to help restore stability, security, and dignity to affected families.

The Governor appealed to the public to uphold the festival’s ethos of unity and expressed hope that peace and harmony would soon return to the State. This year’s edition features cultural showcases, indigenous sports, adventure tourism, literary sessions, film screenings, the Hiyang Tannaba boat race, tourism familiarisation tours, and the Cherry Blossom Festival at Mao.

The inaugural event was attended by MLAs Biswajit Singh and Basanta Kumar, the Chief Secretary, Security Advisor, DGP, Advocate General, senior government officials, and members of the public.