Manipur Launches Inaugural North East Waree Leeba Festival to Safeguard Endangered Oral Traditions
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla inaugurated the region's first-ever Waree Leeba Festival in Imphal West to rescue the dwindling art of traditional storytelling from obscurity. The five-day cultural gathering brings together regional artists and preservationists to celebrate and revitalize indigenous oral histories.
- Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla inaugurated the five-day 1st North East Waree Leeba Festival 2026 in Imphal West.
- The event was organized by the Repertory of Waree Leeba to protect and promote traditional storytelling arts in the Northeast.
- Cultural advocates stress the urgent need for institutional support to prevent ancient indigenous narrative forms from fading away.
IMPHAL — Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla formally launched the inaugural North East Waree Leeba Festival on Monday at the Irom Meijrao Mamang Makha Leikai Community Hall in Imphal West, marking a major milestone for regional cultural preservation. The five-day landmark gathering is dedicated entirely to reviving and safeguarding 'Waree Leeba,' a traditional form of theatrical storytelling deeply rooted in the historical and mythological fabric of Manipur and the broader northeastern landscape.
Waree Leeba has historically served as a vital pillar of community bonding and moral instruction, transmitting ancient folklore, epic tales, and ancestral wisdom across generations without written scripts. However, rapid modernization, shifting entertainment paradigms, and the advent of digital media have severely threatened the survival of this delicate oral tradition, pushing many seasoned practitioners toward economic marginalization and forcing community leaders to sound the alarm on cultural erasure.
According to reports by EastMojo, the event is organized under the auspices of the Repertory of Waree Leeba, bringing together master performers, cultural historians, and enthusiastic audiences to witness live demonstrations of the dying art. Organizers emphasized that providing a formal stage for these veteran storytellers is critical not only for public appreciation but also for passing down intricate vocal modulations, physical expressions, and narrative pacing to younger generations.
