Manipur folk dance represents India in Singapore fest

PTI ( Gurdip Singh) Singapore, March 3 A popular folk dance of Manipur has represented India in Singapore's Chingay festival this year, an annual celebrations of the Lunar New Year here. "Dhol Dholak Cholom was specially selected to participate in Singapore's annual cultural event Chingay Parade," High Commissioner of India in Singapore Vijay Thakur Singh, said today."The 41 members of the Cholom are India's special ambassadors and reflects the country's 'Look East' and 'Act East' policy," she said at a farewell event of the Dhol Dholak Cholom members who were here to give cultural performances. She highlighted that Manipur is the main part of the regional land connectivity as it is the closest Indian state to South East Asian countries. These members have brought together Manipur art and culture to the city state as part of the 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Singapore celebration, she said. The Manipur troupe's participation also highlights a wide range of art and cultural activities being undertaken by both countries celebrating the diplomatic ties as well as Singapore's 50 years of independence. The troupe, in Singapore from February 24 to March 3, was led by W Lokendrajit Singh, a production unit in charge from Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy. The 41 members joined 260 local Indian cultural and dance artists in the Chingay musical event held on Sunday in the hotel-belt of Orchard Road, Lokendrajit Singh told PTI, adding that an estimated 1,500 cultural troupes from around the world took part in the Chingay Parade. The highpoint for Lokendrajit, an accomplished dance choreographer and his members, was learning from other international performing artists at the Chingay festival held between February 27 to March 1 here. The Chingay Parade is an annual street parade held in Malaysia and Singapore in celebration with the birthdays of the Chinese deities as part of the Chinese New Year. Lunar New Year is the first day of a secular, sacred, or other year whose months are coordinated by the cycles of the moon.