Society / Manipur

IMPHAL, Feb 13? Manipur Governor Arvind Dave formally inaugurated the 32nd all manipur shumang leela festival 2004 here at the newly constructed Thokchom Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen,a playhouse for the courtyard play at Hapta Kangjeibung near Shree Shree Gobindajee Temple in Imphal on Thursday.

Lighting the inaugural lamp and speaking on the occasion Governor Dave said," Shumang Leela is one of the most important art forms of Manipuri courtyard theatre. It is as popular as jatra of Bengal, tamasa of Maharashtra, and nautanki of Uttar Pradesh". "Shumang" in Manipuri means courtyard and...

Imphal, Feb. 13: Volunteers of the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (Desam) today burnt textbooks published by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur, for Classes I to V in protest against the ?flaws? in them. Desam has been demanding rectification of the ?mistakes and misleading lessons? in the textbooks written by local experts and published by the board for this year?s academic session.

When their demand for publication of fresh books was not fulfilled, they collected books from different sources and burnt them in front of Imphal College here this afternoon.

A student leader said...

Imphal, Feb. 12: Tribal students refused to accept the textbooks prescribed by the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM), saying the introduction was too late for this academic session.

The board introduced a fresh set of common textbooks for Class I to V under a new common syllabus for all schools, including missionary and private schools, from this academic session after strong pressure from several students organisations.

Earlier, private schools throughout the state used to prescribe their own textbooks, while the government schools had common textbooks. But the latest move has...

IMPHAL, Feb 11 : Amidst the controversial construction process of the women?s market sheds in and around Khwairamband Keithel, in the busiest market places in the heart of Imphal town, a design committee for the construction of these markets sheds was recently constituted in the State. The committee has been authorised by the State authority to work out the needful, reliable sources said here on Tuesday.

The four member design committee for the construction of the market sheds have been constituted on January 29 last with eminent artist and scholar Thoidingjam Tombi as it?s chairman...

Imphal, Jan. 15: He has been obsessed with numbers for as long as he can remember. And this abiding passion has taken him places, from the violence-scarred ambience of Manipur to the hallowed portals of Cambridge?s Trinity College and then to Sheffield University as a lecturer.

At 33, Manoharmayum Raju Sharma is a role model not just for aspiring mathematicians, but for every Manipur youth trying to make a mark in any profession.

Coming home for a vacation recently, Raju was shocked to see that life is still tough in Manipur. Security personnel raided his residence without warning on January 7...

Imphal, Dec. 23: The Manipur film industry never had it so good. After yanking Hindi films off the screen following a ban by an outlawed organisation, most cinema halls here have been screening only Manipuri digital films, rejuvenating an industry that was floundering not long ago.

The first feature film in Manipuri, Matamgi Manipur, hit the big screen in 1972 and several talented filmmakers from the state have emerged since then. But despite winning national and international awards, including a Grand Prix for Imagi Ningthem, the Manipuri film industry did not become financially stable until...

Imphal, Dec. 12: Manipur today paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of nupi lal (women?s war), with the state government calling on women?s organisations to continue the struggle. But this time it would be for restoring peace in the state and ensuring all-round development. The state function was held at the Nupi Lal Memorial Complex, with commerce and industries minister Th. Devendra Singh and arts and culture minister M. Nara Singh on the dais.

A play based on the women?s uprising against British colonial rule was staged to mark the occasion. The first nupi lal took place in 1904 against the...

Imphal, June 6: With more than 15,000 people testing positive for HIV in Manipur so far, an alarmed government has decided to install condom vending machines in three districts. Manipur will be the first state in the Northeast to have such a facility.

State family welfare minister Bijoy Koijam said such a step would promote safer sexual practices and as well as family planning. The condoms will be available free of cost, he said.

The Manipur family welfare department has struck a deal for supply of 12 such machines from the Mumbai-based Hindustan Latex Company.

To be installed at strategic...

IMPHAL, April 2 – Manipur today celebrated ‘Sajibu-nong-ma-panba’ popularly known as “cheirsoba”, the Meitei new year day across the State. Inhabitants of this picturesque place pray for a fruitful harvest drying celebration in the next season as spring arrives in the region.

Every household worships the God of grain and every Manipuri family prepares identical menu.

In the evening, the family members along with their children enjoy a walk in the nearby hillocks as part of the occasion. However, nowadays, almost all the people of Imphal walk towards ‘Cheiraoching’ (meaning hillock)...

IMPHAL, March 20 – Amidst the ongoing fiasco, pro-27 letter Meitei script activists are all set to launch teaching campaign of the indigenous Manipuri script to all parts of the State including the hill areas after the five-day Yaoshang festival. The Yaoshang festival which began from Tuesday will conclude on March 22. The teaching campaign of the script across the State will be taken up by the Apunba Meetei Mayek Sandokpa Amasung Hinghanba Lup (AMMSAHL), a pro-27 letter Meitei Mayek script body. The decision to launch the campaign despite the ongoing fiasco was announced on Monday. Since the...