SOBHAPATI SAMOM
Shirui Lily Festival: In a bit to highlight the significance of Manipur’s
State flower the Shirui lily and
spread awareness about its conservation
on the one hand and promote
the district of Ukhrul as a tourist
destination on the other, the second
State-level Shirui Lily Festival
got under way at this picturesque
village, about 100 km north-east of
Imphal, in Ukhrul district.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh,
accompanied by four ministers L
Jayentakumar (Health), V Hangkhalian
(Agriculture), L Dikho
(Public Health Engineering) and
Th Radheshyam (Education), inaugurated
the event.
Three
MLAs of Ukhrul area Khasim
Vashum, Alfred Kanngam S
Arthur and Leishiyo Keishing
and Dr S Ranjan, chairman of the Tourism Corporation of Manipur
Limited, also attended the inaugural
function along with representatives
of civil society organisations
and others.
Discovered in 1946 by Frank
Kingdom Ward, a botanist from
United Kingdom, Lilium mackliniae
sealy, which is locally known
as Shirui lily, is a rare species of
terrestrial lily naturally found in
Manipur’s upper reaches on the
Shirui Hill ranges known as the
Shirui Kashong Peak which is located
2,835 metres above the sea
level.
The pink flower’s beauty lies
in its bell-shaped petals.
With the formal inauguration of
the Shirui Festival, the exhibition
stalls of the festival have also
opened at the Tangkhul Naga Long
Ground in the hill town. Shirock
2018, a competition among 20 rock
music bands of North East India,
will be a major attraction.
Meanwhile, American rock
band Steelheart enthralled the
audience on their debut India gig
on the first day of the Shirui Festival
on Tuesday. On the last day
of the festival on April 28, legendary
rock band Queensryche will
perform here.
The Chief Minister mentioned
the government projects taken up
for the welfare of people. He revealed
that 21 out of 29 sanctioned
projects are under implementation,
while some of them have already
been completed in the district.
Later, the Chief Minister also
inaugurated the newly-constructed
women’s market complex in
Ukhrul town, 84 km from Imphal.
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