Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, APRIL 9
Growing flowers which was a leisure activity in the past is now fast becoming a booming industry and ofcourse a source of livelihood for many flower growers in the Nagaland-Manipur border. With myriad shades of colours, flowers decked the landscape of the blue hills as mesmerizing beauty.
Since last years’ flower festival at Mao Gate in the Nagaland-Manipur boder, it is full of annual activities for the florists, growers, visitors, spectators and buyers alike.
The three-day flower festival got underway today with the theme ‘Colours of Spring’ at Pfukhro, Mao Gate with V Shanmuganathan, Governor of Manipur as the chief guest and O Nabakishore Singh, IAS, Chief Secretary, GoM as the guest of honour.
The programme was organized by Senapati District Administration and Mao Flower Growers’ Association in collaboration with the Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Government of Manipur and Department of Commerce and Industries.
The brochure provided by the organizers, says the fest has opened a new chapter to flower growers and proprietors for future sustainability and growth of the flower market.
The flower festival is a concept nurtured by the people at large with collective effort to preserve, promote and develop the gift of nature.
The brochure further states that the flowers being cultivated in different regions of the globe have found its home in Mao, where the local soil and temperature has proven conducive to their dwelling. Thus, locally found species got elevated to a new level of admiration and promotion.
The festival is a living testament to this development. The first flower festival though a day event witnessed nearly 2500 visitors. With flowers being marketed to neighboring states and beyond, the second edition endeavors to do much better. Altogether, there are 61 flower stalls from various villages, and prizes are being given away to the best displayed flowers.
