Manipur hosts first Northeast Waree Leeba Festival to preserve traditional storytelling art

The five-day festival in Imphal West brings together artists from Manipur, Assam and Tripura to promote the traditional narrative art form and strengthen cultural ties across the Northeast.

The first North East Waree Leeba Festival began at Meijrao Irom in Manipur's Imphal West district on Monday, November 2 with artists and cultural practitioners coming together to celebrate and preserve the state's traditional storytelling art form.

The five-day festival is being organised by the Repertory of Waree Leeba (ROWLM) in association with the Irom Meijrao Women for Cultural Centre, with the aim of promoting the traditional art form and encouraging cultural exchanges across the northeastern region.

The inaugural programme began with floral tributes to three late Waree Leeba gurus, led by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and state Art and Culture Minister Khuraijam Loken Singh.

Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Governor Bhalla described Waree Leeba as a rare traditional narrative art form deeply rooted in Manipur's cultural heritage.

He said the art form should not be viewed merely as entertainment, but as a living tradition through which the knowledge, beliefs, myths and legends of previous generations are passed on.

Expressing concern over the gradual decline of the tradition, the Governor said preserving Waree Leeba was essential to safeguarding an important part of Manipur's cultural identity and collective memory.

He expressed hope that the festival would mark the beginning of sustained efforts to promote the storytelling tradition and strengthen cultural cooperation among northeastern states.

Bhalla also congratulated the Repertory of Waree Leeba for bringing together artists from across the region to celebrate and preserve the traditional art form.

Speaking at the event, ROWLM director Takhellambam Shyamkanhai Singh, a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi's Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, highlighted the importance of traditional storytelling in preserving history, folklore, legends, moral values and collective wisdom.

He said Waree Leeba was gradually losing ground due to modernisation, globalisation and other changing social influences, stressing the need for a long-term vision and policy support to ensure its survival.

Singh said the five-day festival would feature artists from Manipur, Assam and Tripura, providing a platform for cultural exchange and the sharing of knowledge and artistic practices.

During the inaugural programme, the Governor also witnessed a Waree Leeba presentation based on an episode from the Mahabharata, narrated by renowned artist Shyamkanhai Singh.

Appreciating the artist's storytelling skills, expressive narration and traditional presentation, Bhalla thanked him for bringing the epic to life through the art form.

The festival seeks to provide greater visibility to Waree Leeba while creating opportunities for younger generations to engage with the traditional storytelling practice and contribute to its preservation.