IMPHAL Nov 10 : The 3rd Chinjak festival (food festival) kick-started at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen today. The festival is organized by Innovative Youth Development Association and will continue till Nov 16.
The festival was inaugurated by IPR minister TN Haokip.
The minister in his speech stressed on the need of promoting the various unique dishes of the state and the state government on its part will request the centre to make available schemes to further promote the food industry.
He expressed that similarity of the Manipuri cuisine and that of other asian countries are immense and has tremendous marketing potential.
He announced that a food park will be opened soon to made available the indegenious dishes of the state throughout the year.
Talking to IFP, BikramjitKongkham ,chairperson of the association said the objective of the festial was to bring all communities together in a common ground to strengthen the bond of brotherhood among the ethnic communities and to further promote the food industry of the state.
Altogether, fifty one stalls from all over the state are participating in the festival .The stalls presented over 200 indigenous foods belonging to different communities . Beef, pork ,chicken dishes, pickles made from prawn, fish and soya bean etc are also available. On the vegetable side there are singju, pakoura including chahou matum and fried items
The festival will remained open from 9 am to 7 pm daily.
