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Children wearing flower crowns during the Cherry Blossom-cum-Flower Festival at Mao Gate in Manipur on Sunday. (EM (Images)[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 24 (EMN): Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, Y Joykumar Singh on Sunday said that nature promotes peace of mind and harmony, and flowers in particular must be appreciated.
He was addressing the Cherry Blossom-cum-Flower Festival at Mao Gate in Manipur on Sunday. The three-day flower festival, which is being held on the theme ‘Exploring Nature’s Wonder’, is also part of Manipur's Sangai festival.
“Flowers are very expensive these days and floriculture is an awarding business as flowers are required in every occasion,” Singh stated. He also said that the motive of different festivals in Manipur like orange, pineapple, ginger and flower festival is to display the products as well as educate the people on the skills to grow them. “Let’s keep the good relationship between communities in the state,” he urged.
Losii Dikho, Manipur minister for PHED, Printing and Stationery, said that the flower festival is an extended Sangai festival in the remote area, and the purpose of extending it is to demonstrate that 'we need to bring people together and understand one another'.
He also said that this festival will benefit the people as well as the state. Dikho reminded that flowers are necessary in every stage of life. “Growing vegetables and flowers, and gardening becomes a source of earning for the farmers,” he added.
Lorho Pfoze, Member of Parliament, said that flowers are very useful and loved by everyone. “Mao land is also called the land of fruits and flowers,” he said and encouraged the people to love one another and live in peace with their neighbours.
N Kayisii, minister for the department of Tribal Affairs and Hills, and Fisheries, informed that the festival became a part of Sangai festival as declared by N Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur in 2017. He encouraged the people to “organise and do better in the coming years”, and promote the festival. He added that 'the land is blessed' and people need to think how to move forward.
President of Mao Council encouraged those at the festival to buy the goods and support the farmers. He also said that the festival would promote the economy of the Mao people. "In future, we should expand this festival and organise in other places as well," he suggested.
This festival not only highlights the blessings of nature but also aims to sensitise the public on the need to strive for holistic development, taking into account the need to preserve nature. The festival also aims to serve as a multiplier effect for greater economic activity in and around Mao area.