Sangai Festival Must Not Be Silenced: A Call for Cultural Resilience, Economic Revival, and Inclusive Rehabilitation

The Sangai Festival stands as one of the most resplendent manifestations of Manipur’s civilizational heritage, encapsulating the state’s intricate mosaic of traditions, arts, and cultural expressions. Celebrated annually from the 21st to the 30th of November, this ten-day cultural exposition derives its name from the Sangai—the rare and endangered brow-antlered deer found exclusively in Keibul Lamjao National Park.

Since its institutionalisation in 2010, the festival has evolved into a prestigious global platform that enables Manipur to exhibit its indigenous identity, cultural heterogeneity, and artistic brilliance to the world.

Over the years, the festival has acquired an almost emblematic stature, becoming the grandest cultural celebration of the state. It attracts thousands of domestic and international visitors, creating a vibrant confluence of music, craftsmanship, indigenous sports, gastronomy, and adventure tourism.

The Sangai Festival has not only fortified Manipur’s identity as a world-class tourism destination but has also generated immense socio-economic dividends for local communities, artisans, entrepreneurs, and performers. It is, in many ways, the cultural heartbeat of the state.

However, since the outbreak of conflict on May 3rd, 2023, Manipur has been engulfed in a prolonged humanitarian and economic crisis. The internal displacement of thousands of individuals has severely disrupted livelihoods, fractured social cohesion, and destabilised the economic ecosystem. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)—already navigating the uncertainties of displacement—are continuing to struggle for basic sustenance, often surviving through minimal resources and sporadic assistance.

Yet, despite their circumstances, many IDPs have shown remarkable resilience by initiating small-scale entrepreneurial ventures under various government schemes. From handicrafts and handloom products to toy-making, food-processing activities, and other essential goods, these communities have been channeling their skills into productive avenues from within the relief camps.

In such a climate, the recurring question of whether the Sangai Festival should be suspended or discouraged has surfaced yet again. But rather than advocating prohibition, it is imperative that we collectively rethink the festival’s potential as a transformative instrument of inclusive recovery—socially, culturally, and economically. Far from being an insensitive extravaganza, the Sangai Festival can serve as a conduit for empowerment, especially for IDPs, if organised with a sense of responsibility, compassion, and strategic foresight.

Why Should the Festival Not Be Banned?

The argument for prohibiting the festival often rests on the premise that organising a major cultural event during a period of conflict would appear tone-deaf or insensitive. Yet, this perception warrants deeper scrutiny. At present, musical concerts, entertainment programmes, and public events continue to be conducted across the state on a near-daily basis. If these activities are deemed permissible and socially acceptable, the logic underpinning the selective opposition to the Sangai Festival becomes questionable.

Why should a significant cultural event—one that brings immense economic and social value—be singled out for censorship?
Moreover, Manipur is currently grappling with acute financial fragility and economic stagnation.

The tourism industry, previously one of the most promising contributors to state revenue, has suffered precipitous decline since the conflict began. The Sangai Festival has historically served as an economic engine, stimulating local markets, generating employment, and circulating revenue across multiple sectors.

By cancelling or diluting the festival, the state risks further constricting its already impaired economic environment. Instead, leveraging the festival as a means of revitalising revenue generation would be a far more pragmatic approach.

Reviving Tourism Through Cultural Diplomacy

Tourism has long served as a soft-power instrument for Manipur, enabling cultural diplomacy while strengthening the state’s socio-economic framework. The festival attracts travellers, photographers, anthropologists, scholars, and cultural enthusiasts from across India and abroad.

As Manipur seeks to repair its fractured tourism sector, the Sangai Festival represents an unparalleled opportunity to restore global confidence and reintroduce Manipur as a secure, vibrant, and culturally effervescent destination.

The forthcoming participation of the renowned British band Blue in Imphal is not merely an entertainment attraction—it is a strategic opportunity for international visibility. Events of this calibre have the potential to re-ignite curiosity, draw external footfall, and re-establish Manipur on global itineraries.

Even if residents of the state choose not to attend, visitors from neighbouring states and other parts of the country are likely to witness the performances. These inflows translate directly into revenue for hotels, restaurants, transportation services, artisans, and local markets. In times of economic slump, such events serve as indispensable accelerants of financial circulation.

Re-Weaving the Cultural Fabric of Manipur

Before the conflict, the Sangai Festival served as an extraordinary space where tribes, communities, and ethnic groups came together in harmonious participation. It celebrated Manipur’s diversity through traditional dances, attire, indigenous culinary practices, and artisanal heritage. It fostered unity, mutual respect, and recognition of each community’s cultural contributions. In the midst of conflict-induced polarisation, this festival can become a vital medium for reconciliation and cultural reaffirmation.

Diversity does not flourish by suppression; it flourishes by visibility. The return of a culturally inclusive festival can serve as a gentle reminder of the unity that once characterised Manipur’s social fabric—and the unity that can be rebuilt.

Integrating IDPs: From Marginalisation to Opportunity

Perhaps the most compelling argument for continuing the festival lies in its potential to uplift internally displaced communities. Rather than viewing IDPs as passive recipients of relief, it is time to reposition them as active economic participants. Offering them free stalls within the festival premises would not only recognise their talent but also grant them access to thousands of potential customers and patrons.

The IDP community is rich with individuals possessing exceptional skills in weaving, pottery, bamboo crafts, toy-making, food production, and indigenous artisanal work. Allowing them to showcase and market their products would:
● Provide them an independent, dignified source of livelihood
● Integrate them into the state’s economic activities
● Increase their visibility and acceptance in the public sphere
● Generate confidence and long-term sustainability
● Reduce dependency on relief materials
● Encourage innovation and entrepreneurship

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), intellectuals, scholars, entrepreneurs, and policymakers must recognise the immense socio-economic potential encapsulated within the IDP community.

Rather than marginalising them during a major cultural event, we should ensure their central participation. In doing so, the festival transitions from a mere spectacle into a platform of healing, solidarity, and shared progress.

A Festival as a Symbol of Resilience

Culture does not pause in times of adversity; in fact, culture becomes most essential during
periods of crisis. It is through collective cultural expressions that societies rediscover resilience, identity, and hope. The Sangai Festival, therefore, should be embraced not as a display of insensitivity but as a declaration of continuity—an affirmation that Manipur, even in the face of turmoil, refuses to surrender its cultural radiance.

Economic revival, cultural preservation, and humanitarian sensitivity need not be mutually
exclusive. They can converge harmoniously if the festival is conceptualised with empathy and inclusivity. Instead of silencing the festival, we must transform it into an emblem of collective perseverance.

The Way Forward: A Call to Action

To ensure that the Sangai Festival functions as a catalyst for inclusive development during this challenging period, the following measures should be urgently considered:

1. Allot free stalls to IDPs across all festival venues to showcase their products and craftsmanship.
2. Establish a dedicated IDP Pavilion, curated exclusively for displaced artisans and entrepreneurs.
3. Form collaborative committees consisting of government bodies, CSOs, economists, and cultural experts to ensure equitable representation.
4. Prioritise security, transportation, and logistical support to facilitate safe participation of IDPs.
5. Promote ethical tourism, encouraging visitors to directly support local artisans and displaced families.
6. Document and publicise the stories of resilience of IDP artisans to build national and international solidarity.
   The Sangai Festival can—and must—transcend its traditional role as a tourist attraction. This year, it can become a testament to Manipur’s indomitable spirit, its cultural wealth, and its collective ability to rebuild.

Conclusion

Prohibiting the Sangai Festival would neither mitigate the crisis nor restore the fractured socio-economic landscape of Manipur. Instead, a thoughtfully executed, inclusive, and empathetic festival has the potential to invigorate the economy, rejuvenate tourism, foster cultural unity, and empower displaced communities.

In a time of upheaval, the festival can serve as a beacon of resilience—a reminder that even in the darkest hours, the cultural soul of Manipur continues to thrive.

The state’s intellectuals, policymakers, cultural custodians, and civil society must step forward with vision and courage. Let this year’s Sangai Festival not be remembered as the one we cancelled out of fear, but as the one where Manipur chose strength over silence, unity over division, and empowerment over exclusion.

Chittaranjan Meitram

Chittaranjan Meitram is a Psychiatric Social Worker with clinical exposure as an intern at MIMHANS (Meghalaya Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences) and the Centre for Mental Hygiene, Changangei, Imphal. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Medical & Psychiatric Social Work.