DIPR
Imphal, Dec 28,
Education Minister Thokchom Radheshyam today stated that each and every study or research should be aimed towards bringing positivity and unity in the society. He was speaking at the inauguration of 2-Day National Seminar on ‘The Dynamics of Indian Folklore’ in commemoration of the 42nd Indian Folklore Congress (IFC).
Quoting the definition of folklore from the Souvenir released today, the Minister said that ‘folklore is the treasure of knowledge and wisdom’, the key to a progress society. He said that it is important that the significance of the folklore should be made widely known to the people to serve the purpose of organising the seminar. The national seminar is organized by the Dhanamanjuri College of Arts and Dhanamanjuri University in collaboration with the Indian Folklore Congress (IFC) at Central Hall of D. M. College of Science.
Thokchom Radheshyam said that life is the best school for learning and experience is the best teacher. He said that folk literature is the repository of practices, traditions, customs, and proverbs, among others passed down from generation to generation. He said that the past defines the present, the present groom tomorrow- the future. It is therefore important to know these beliefs to be able to apply for the betterment of the present and the future. On the proposal of opening a separate Department for the study of Folklore, he said that the proposal will be considered after discussions with the experts and officials.
Highlighting the issues of folklore, President IFC, Prof. Jawaharlal Handoo said that the preservation of folklore is the need of hour. It is highly required that the folklore is preserved and the knowledge inscribed in the folklore be disseminated. He added that there is need to embrace the folklore to construct the culture and traditions instilled in the folklore which is now slowly fading. He defined that the folklore is one’s own treasure of knowledge of culture and tradition, and understanding the folklore is very much necessary to understand one’s own culture and tradition.
Vice – President IFC, Prof. M. Mani Meitei said that the seminar will be able to draw the attention of the Government on demand for opening up a separate Department for the study of the Folklore. He said that the folklore is an important discipline richly available in the world with diverse genre and is yet to be explored.
Vice – Chancellor, Dhanamanjuri University, H. Deleep Singh, Principals of different colleges, Professors, Folklorist, research scholars and students attended the function.