The annual Sangai Festival, named for Manipur’s endangered state animal and typically the state’s largest cultural and tourism showcase, returned this year in a scaled-back form, organisers said, citing both security considerations and reduced tourism infrastructure following years of disruption.

Cultural performances, craft exhibitions, and culinary showcases were held across a shortened schedule, with organisers describing the festival’s return, even in reduced form, as symbolically important for a state eager to project continuity and resilience. Local artisans and performers said the festival remained a valued platform despite smaller crowds than in pre-conflict years.

Tourism officials said they hoped to expand the festival’s scale in future years as security conditions allow, framing Sangai’s continuation as part of a broader effort to keep Manipur’s cultural identity visible even amid ongoing hardship.