Mail News Service
Imphal, Jan 7: Gaan Ngai festival began today at BOAT inaugurated by Governor, Gurbhachan Jagat.
The opening event, which was organized by the State Level Gaan-Ngai 2012 Celebration Committee, was graced by Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat Singh, Principal Secretary, Government of Manipur and Chairman, SLGCC,2012, L.P. Gonmei, and Secretary State Level Gaan-Ngai 2012 celebration Committee, Norbert Disinang, IAS as chief guest, president and guest of honour.
Governor addressing the function said “Gaan-Ngai, as we all are aware, marks the end of a year and heralds a new year. It is the biggest annual festival of the Zeliangrong community lasting for five days or so. The festival, which literally means “Festival of Winter Season” is a festival paying homage to those souls who departed the year before and is also an occasion of worship, joy and merriment providing an opportunity not only to the Zeliangrong people but also to others to come together and work for our shared goal of ensuring peace and harmony in the society, setting aside all differences. While celebrating Gaan-Ngai, we should resolve to follow the spiritual and moral values that it conveys to make the festival significant.
Every festival of a community or a group of people, has its own and distinct character and message. The spirit of Gaan-Ngai festival is to disseminate the message of peace, friendship, brotherhood, compassion and forgiveness among the people not only of Manipur, but also to the mankind. In the celebration of a festival, the edifice of oneness gets strengthened. Ensuring sense of oneness and friendly feelings is the prerequisite to peaceful co-existence which is the need of the hour in today’s trouble-torn society.”
He hoped that the Gaan-Ngai festival will be celebrated in its true spirit and it will help in further strengthening the social fabric that binds the different groups of people together. In fact, peaceful co-existence is an age-old and glorious tradition of the people of Manipur. We are proud of this tradition. Hence, all communities of Manipur should contribute their best to sustain this glorious tradition.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/gaan-ngai-festival-begins/
