Imphal, Oct. 26: The Manipur tourism department is all set to showcase the state’s diverse art and culture, handloom and handicrafts, indigenous games and tourists spots through the Manipur Tourism Festival 2006.

The four-day-long cultural extravaganza will be held at different venues here and in other parts of the state from November 6 to 9.

The main objective of holding the festival is “to showcase Manipur” as one of the best tourist destinations and also “to generate feelings of brotherhood and social harmony” among various ethnic groups living in Manipur by bringing together various troupes.

“We anticipate largescale participation of different communities and also hope to attract domestic as well as foreign tourists. We want to demonstrate that despite the prevailing law and order situation in the state, tourists can enjoy themselves without any fear,” said tourism department director Angom Ibocha.

Ibocha said though the department has been holding such festivals annually, this is the biggest-ever tourism festival held in Manipur and for the first time in Imphal.

Earlier, the festivals held in the districts were a “failure” due to poor communication facilities.

The organisers plan to present more than 30 cultural items, including the famed Raas Leela, Manipur’s most enduring and popular performing art form, Shumang Lila and tribal dances of more than 30 tribal communities at the mela ground here.

The festival will have han-dicraft stalls and eateries with traditional dishes.

Equestrian games like polo, pana kangjei (traditional Manipuri polo), arambai (a military technique used by Meitei warriors on horseback before the advent of guns) and mukna kangjei (traditional Manipuri hockey) will be played at Hapta Kangjeibung at Palace Gate.

Adventure sports and ecotourism-related activities would be held at Lamdman Adventure and Eco-tourism Park in Bishenpur district, which was inaugurated by Governor S.S. Sidhu today.

The organisers said conducted tours would be organised to tourists destinations like Loktak lake, Indian National Army complex at Moirang, Japanese War Memorial (known as India Peace Memorial) at Maibam Lotpa Ching in Bishenpur and the Khongjom war memorial, where Manipuris fought their last war against the British in 1891.

An expedition to Tharon cave in Tamenglong district, river rafting on the Iril, parasailing at Imphal’s old airport and an exhibition of orchids are the other highlights of the festival.

The director said more than 200 varieties of orchids available in Manipur would be put on display.