Chief Minister, O Ibobi, Gaikhangam Dy CM and others attending Gaan Ngai
IMPHAL, Jan 25 NNN : The state level Gaan-Ngai celebration 2013, the biggest festival of the Zeliangrong tribes, was celebrated on Saturday with great fervor at Tarung village in Imphal West.
Chief Minister of Manipur O Ibobi inaugurated the celebration with much enthusiasm at a glittering function which was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, Commerce and Industries minister Govindas Konthoujam, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister Francis Ngajokpa, Works minister Dr Kh Ratankumar, Agriculture minister Md Abdul Nasir, former Union Minister of State (Home) Prof M Kamson and several Parliamentary Secretaries and MLAs, and leaders of various NGOs.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister called for maintaining peace and harmony among different ethnic communities in the state and to refrain from being selfishness by all.
He said, “The biggest festival of the Zeliangrong tribes is Gaan-Ngai which is celebrated as a post-harvest festival with a special prayer to the Almighty for blessing and prosperity.
Although the festival is celebrated at the state level here, it would be continued to celebrate in different villages for several days, the Chief Minister said.
He said such festival has given a message of love, peace and forgiveness to the people and added that forgiveness is the highest honesty.
Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam also spoke on the occasion. He said the Zeliangrong community has a rich cultural heritage and it is also a peace-loving people.
He said Gaan-Ngai festival is the only festival in the state which is celebrated for seven long days with events like prayer, feasting, singing, dancing, games and sports.
The Deputy Chief Minister also greeted the Zeliangrong tribes and wished for a prosperous and peaceful society with the celebration of Gaan-Ngai.
Several cultural troupes from different districts also performed cultural and traditional dances and songs at the function.
Gaan-Ngai is the biggest annual festival of the Zelingrong tribes of Manipur, Assam and Nagaland which is a post-harvest festival celebrated around the winter season.
It last for four-five days or more. This festival heralds the closing of the old year and the arrival of the New Year. Other Naga tribes also celebrate similar after harvest festivals.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/gaan-ngai-celebrated/
