Manipuri cultural extravaganza at Nilgiris
Udhagamandalam: Having organised 60-odd programmes since it came into being about nine years ago, the Nilgiris Cultural Association (NCA) brought a piece of the North-East in the form of a Manipuri cultural extravaganza to the Nilgiris on Monday. The venue was the Saint Jude's Public School and Junior College at Kotagiri.Entitled `Manipuri Movements', the presentation, which lasted a couple of hours, enchanted a large number of people, including tourists and students.While presenting about a dozen items, 20 young men and women of `Suryabara Sana Kala Kendra' featured several cultural aspects of the Manipuri people.A drum and dance item `Pung Cholom' kept those in the hall on the edge of their seats. Solo performances by the women artistes were equally engrossing. The matching costumes and accompanying narration showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Manipuri people.Commenting on the show, the president, NCA, P.S. Sundar, observed that India's culture was rich and diverse. Even Indians were not familiar with many of the country's traditions. The NCA's objective was to expose the different cultures to as many people as possible.The Chairman of St Jude's Public School and Junior College, P.P. Dhanarajan, who was the chief guest, said that such programmes were more effective in teaching culture-related subjects than lectures and teacher-student interactions in classrooms.The Principal, Saro Dhanarajan, also spoke. The NCA convener, S. Ananthakrishnan, proposed a vote of thanks.
