Imphal, August 3 NNN : The theatre Centre, Manipur,a premier body of the theatre units in Manipur on Friday kickstarted the \u201c8th Festival of Narrative Arts, 2012\u201d at the Lainingthou Amudon Community Hall, Sagolband Tera Amudon Leirak, Imphal.
\nThe inaugural ceremony of the 10-day long festival was attended by W Mera, Deputy Director, Department of Arts & Culture, Manipur as the chief guest and Wareppa Naba, president, Theatre centre, Manipur as the president.
\nWareppa Naba while speaking on the ocassion said many of the promotional activities required in the field of performing arts in the state are neglected because there is need of adequade funding.
\nHe added that the state\u2019s narrative arts can be promoted through the help of funding agencies like Ministry of Arts, Governmnet of India, Easter Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata and North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur.
\nIn the next 12th Five Year Plan, the state government is likely to provide additional financial assistance in developing various art forms in Manipur, Naba informed and added that now, the value of art and culture in Manipur is seemingly declining despite the state being a land of culture.
\nNaba also released a souvenir in connection with the festival which will conclude on August 12.
\nThe main objective of the festival is to explore all those extinct and near to be extinct rare traditional art forms in Manipur and revitalise and propagate some of the rare narrative art forms such as Lairik Theeba, Waree Leeba, Khongjom Parva and Pena Phamshak, etc. in the region.
\nThis year\u2019s edition of the festival has also been mounted with a gala performance of six distinctive art disciplines\u2014Lairik Theeba-Haiba, Waree Leeba, Khongjom Parva, Pena Phamshak, Khubak Eshei and Khunung Eshei.<\/p>\n\n