Imphal: The Manipur government has allocated Rs 6.30 crore for the 5th Shirui Lily Festival 2025, which will take place in Ukhrul District from May 20-24.
The announcement was made on Saturday following the first Organising Committee meeting chaired by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
The meeting focused on the seamless execution of the festival, covering aspects such as transportation, security, crowd management, infrastructure, hospitality, cultural programming, promotional strategies, and inter-departmental coordination
An executive committee meeting was chaired by chief secretary Prashant Kumar Singh on April 24. The meeting reviewed detailed programme proposals submitted by various sub-committees.
The initial budget proposals of Rs 9.5 crore were scaled down to Rs 6.30 crore after scrutiny.
Ukhrul deputy commissioner Asish Das emphasised the importance of the festival, calling it a unique opportunity to showcase the region’s rich cultural heritage to the world.
He urged the people to unite and work with enthusiasm to ensure the event’s success, stating that the festival would highlight Ukhrul’s vibrant culture and hospitality on the global tourism map.
Notably, the Shirui Lily Festival is making a comeback after a two-year hiatus due to the current crisis in the state that broke out on May 3, 2023.
The grand opening ceremony will be held at Shirui village, the popular ShiRock event at Bakshi Ground, and the cultural and closing ceremony at the Ukhrul district headquarters.
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This year’s festival holds special significance as it marks the 75th anniversary of the discovery of the Shirui Lily. The rare flower, which is endemic to the Shirui Hills of Ukhrul, was first discovered in 1946 by British botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward during a botanical expedition.
