Imphal, Feb 16 : The Naga community in Manipur today celebrated Lui-Ngai-Ni, the annual seed-sowing festival, with traditional fervour with the main programme organised at Lower Ground of Tamenglong district headquarters.
The theme for this year’s state-level festival held at Tamenglong district headquarters is “Sow good seed for good harvest”.
District-level celebrations were held in other Naga-dominated districts.
The highlight of the festival is presentation of a bouquet of programmes including dances, folk songs and prayers for bumper harvest in the coming year, by different cultural troupes.
The cultural troupes have come from Tamenglong district and one from Imphal.
The Nagas have been celebrating this festival, recognised as one of the tourism festivals of India, on February 15 every year since 1987.
Chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who was invited by the organising committee of the state-level festival, could not attend the festival.
He, however, sent three officials to represent him.
Adviser to Nagaland chief minister, Z. Lohe, was the chief guest.
The convenor of the government’s political affairs committee, Imcha Lemba, and the legal adviser to the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government, S. Timikha Koza, were the guests of honour.
The additional deputy commissioner of Tamenglong, R.H. Gonmei, presided over the function. Addressing the gathering, Lohe urged the Naga community to unite for development. He rued that the Naga communities did not back one another and were always trying to stand against other ethnic Nagas.
“If the Nagas cannot come together, there could not be any progress and development,” Lohe said.
He also questioned the sincerity and honesty of the Naga militants.