Huge crowds throng Shumang Leela Shanglen, many inconvenienced due to space constraints

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 23 : In connection with the celebration of 48th All Manipur Shumang Leela Festival, which started on February 12, hundreds of people thronged Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen today to watch Shumang Leela, 'Nacha Lanjade Ema'. However, many audience/visitors were left high and dry when they had to leave the premises owing to limited seat/ space constraints.
The Shumang Leela festival is being organised by Manipur State Kala Akademi Imphal, Department of Art and Culture and will continue till February 28.
A Shumang Leela competition for female groups was conducted from February 13 till 19 while similar competition for male groups started from February 20 and will end on 28.
The Shumang Leela, Nacha Lanjade Ema, played by Iramdam Manipur Artistes Association, was scheduled to begin from 2 in the evening at Iboyaima Shanglen.
Normally, many people try to obtain the Shumang Leela Festival season card and ticket beforehand. But as today turned out to be a holiday, hundreds thronged the Shanglen as the play will be performed by Iramdam Manipur Artistes Association, which led to an large gathering of people at the Shanglen.
The Iboyaima Shanglen was overflowed with people with visitors lining up all the way to the main road. On the other hand, those who obtained tickets failed to get seats and watched the play standing up.
Authorities of The Manipur State Kala Akademi had to allow the entry of all visitors without checking for tickets as a huge number of people turned up for the play.
Meanwhile, several audience were angered and left the spot when they could not see the play properly.
One of the unfortunate visitors who could not see the play, while speaking to TSE, lamented that he had booked tickets for his entire family but the Shanglen was too crowded to even enter.
The authorities/organisers should have followed protocol and should have given another entry for ticket holders, he asserted while urging the authorities to prevent such incident in the future.
Artistes who performed Nacha Lanjade Ema were Chinglen Thiyam, Ch Geetchandra, Khekman Deban, Oken Thoudam, Khekman Ratan, Sur Athokpam and Tony Akoijam for male's role while Robindro Langthabal, Surchandra, Hiramoti and Bidyasagar played female's role.
Speaking to TSE, Manipur State Shumang Leela Council life time secretary Sougrakpam Hemanta said that the seat capacity in Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen is 2500 and over 3000 people can watch the play standing up.
The Shanglen tends to overflow with people if the number of audience exceeds the probable number and the Shanglen has only one entry and exit.
He appealed the State Government to mull on making the Shanglen more spacious.