Imphal, Oct. 4: The Manipur government is exploring all avenues to showcase the state during the upcoming 10-day Sangai Festival organised every year to promote tourism.

The N. Biren Singh government named the festival after sangai, the state animal of Manipur.

Sangai (brow-antlered deer) is a rare species, surviving in the Keibul Lamjao wildlife sanctuary, the world's only floating wildlife sanctuary, on the sprawling Loktak lake in Bishnupur district of Manipur.

The chief minister will inaugurate the festival from the sanctuary on November 21.

The main venue will be Hafta Kangjeibung and events will be organised at other places here.

Every year, Manipur's myriad colourful cultural items, indigenous cuisines, musical concerts, shumang leela (traditional theatre), traditional ethnic houses of various communities, adventure sports, discussions and all kinds of items from books to kitchenware and jewellery to ethnic goods, are put on display.

Foreign countries, too, put up stalls at the festival venue.

Delegates from the South Asian countries, including Myanmar and Thailand, take part in the festival to explore possibilities of trade exchange.

This year, the BJP-led government is planning to invite more countries to give them an opportunity not only to have trade ties and study investment opportunities, but also explore the tourism potential.

'The government is planning to host a business summit on the second day of the festival to discuss business opportunities in the state in an attempt to attract investors. Prominent business personalities of the country will be invited to the summit,' an official source said.

Another plan is organising a 21km half-marathon around Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in the Northeast, on November 19, ahead of the festival. The run, supported by the Athletic Association Manipur, will cover villages such as Sendra, Thanga, Keibul Lamjao and Moirang, located around the lake.

The half-marathon, dubbed as Sangai Run, will be the curtainraiser for the festival.

'The government, led by Biren Singh, is on a mission mode to showcase uniqueness of sangai and Keibul Lamjao National Park to attract tourists,' an official source said. 'The chief minister is also toying with the idea of including the Sangai Run on the world map of half-marathon, which will be a competition from next year,' the official said.

As a preparation for the festival, Biren Singh opened a night plaza along the Imphal city's Kangla moat line yesterday.

The plaza, where indigenous food items and concerts will be presented, will stay open for visitors on every Saturday and Sunday from 7pm to 10pm. However, it will remain open everyday during the Sangai Festival.

'The upcoming festival is an opportunity for the Biren Singh government to send out the message to the world that Manipur is a peaceful state, which is conducive to investment,' the source said.