Imphal, Nov. 6: A six-day food festival called Chinjak Festival International was launched today with mouth-watering traditional cuisine of Thailand and Manipur ahead of the much-awaited Manipur Sangai Festival.

Forty stalls displayed 140 traditional and indigenous cuisine of the state while Thailand’s popular steamed pork was there for everyone to savour on the first day. Myanmar is joining the festival tomorrow. Participants from Tibet, Korea, Singapore and Japan, who were supposed to arrive, have not reached yet.

Kh. Athouba, managing director of Innovative Youth Society, said, “Chinjak Festival International is organised to preserve and promote indigenous food of the state on the global stage.”

The festival is organised by the Society in association with Boss Juices, Imphal, under the theme Save Nambul River, at Yaipha Lamjing Lup ground of Pishum in Imphal West.

Athouba said the theme has been selected to convey the message of importance of Nambul river to the people of the state.

A participant from Thailand, Tanon K., told The Telegraph, “I participated in the last Chinjak festival here. I brought indigenous food and herbs. People liked them very much. This year I am sure of making more profit than last year.”

Following a traditional folk song performed by two local women, A.K. Mirabai, state minister of social welfare, declared the festival open by tasting chahao (black rice) kheer.