The two-day national seminar on ‘The Dynamics of Indian Folklore’ in commemoration of the 42nd Indian Folklore Congress (IFC) was inaugurated at Central Hall of the premier D M College of Science in Imphal on Thursday.
The national seminar was organized by the Dhanamanjuri College of Arts and Dhanamanjuri University in collaboration with the Indian Folklore Congress (IFC).
State Education Minister Thokchom Radheshyam; president IFC, Prof Jawaharlal Handoo; vice president IFC, Prof M Mani Meitei; vice chancellor, Dhanamanjuri University, H Deleep Singh; principals of different colleges; professors; folklorists; research scholars and students attended the inaugural function.
Speaking on the occasion, minister Radheshyam stated that each and every study or research should be aimed towards bringing positivity and unity in the society.
Quoting the definition of folklore from the souvenir released in the day’s function,he said that ‘folklore is the treasure of knowledge and wisdom’, the key to a progressive society.
Stating that it is important that the significance of the folklore should be made widely known to the people to serve the purpose of organizing the seminar, he said that life is the best school for learning and experience is the best teacher.
On the proposal of opening a separate department for the study of folklore, he said that the proposal will be considered after discussions with the experts and officials.
On the issues of folklore, Prof Jawaharlal Handoo said that the preservation of folklore is the need of hour. It is highly required that the folklore is preserved and the knowledge inscribed in the folklore be disseminated.
Informing that there is need to embrace the folklore to construct the culture and traditions instilled in the folklore which is now slowly fading, he defined that the folklore is one’s own treasure of knowledge of culture and tradition, and understanding the folklore is very much necessary to understand one’s own culture and tradition.
In his speech, vice president Prof M. Mani Meitei of IFC said that the seminar will be able to draw the attention of the Government on the demand for opening up a separate department for the study of the folklore adding the folklore is an important discipline richly available in the world with diverse genre and is yet to be explored.
