Manipur all set to celebrate Shirui Lily festival

The festival tries to promote sustainable tourism and give impetus to conservation efforts of the state flower, Shirui Lily, which is endemic to the Kashong Hills in Shirui village, officials said.

Tourism director W Ibohal said preparations for the festival were almost complete except for the final touches.

He said Bakshi ground in Ukhrul town will be the venue for Shirock, 2022, one of the main attractions of the festival. Shirock is a rock fest in which bands from across the country compete for the Shirock title. British progressive metal band, Monuments, will headline the last day of Shirock this year.

The tourism director further said that the TNL ground has been selected as another venue for the festival. It will host exhibition football matches.

Unlike the past editions, there will be programmes on the endangered Haofa, an indigenous Tangkhul canine breed (Tangkhul Hui), and their significance in the Tangkhul society.

The tourism director said the organisers have included adventure sports like downhill and mountain biking to provide more options to the visitors.

Asked about the expected number of tourists, the director said that the footfall of tourists from outside the state was likely to be fewer this year.

He recounted that there was an increase in tourist footfall when rock bands like ‘Nazareth’ and ‘Extreme’ headlined the Shirock in 2019.