The three-day Imphal Literature Festival was formally inaugurated at well decorated Chorus Repertory Theatre Complex in Imphal on Wednesday.
The festival was organised by Sahitya Thoupang Lup in collaboration with Directorate of Tourism, Government of Manipur in connection with the ongoing Manipur Sangai Festival which is scheduled to conclude on November 30.
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Recitation, interaction and symposium are the main activities of the festival.
Internationally acclaimed theatre personality Ratan Thiyam who is the chairman of Chorus Repertory Theatre inaugurated the festival and it was attended by Yumlembam Ibomcha, Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi, renowned poet Hori Masako and novelist Professor Nomura Susuma of Takushoku University, Japan, and Maisnam Rajesh from Bangladesh.
Speaking on the occasion, Ratan Thiyam said for a country like India where 22 languages are recognised by the Constitution, there is a need to ponder on ways to improve Manipuri literature.
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“Books and poems should be translated as the first step towards building a solid base to make it available to the people in other parts of the world. Even though we are blessed with developed and beautiful archived language, the speed of literature development is very slow,” he said.
Books written by the authors of the state are not available to the rest of the country. The number of translated books is also very less compared to other states, he added.
He further stated that without ‘icon’, organising literature festival is ineffective and for future Literature Festivals including renowned writers, poets from different backgrounds will make it more meaningful.
After the inaugural session a Multi-Lingual Poets Meet with President IS Kangjam of Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Imphal in the chair was also held.
Renowned poets of the state and members of Sahitya Thoupang Lup were also present at the inaugural function of the three-day festival.