Imphal, March 11: Organisers of the 8th State-Level Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival 2026 on March 10 clarified that the upcoming celebration in Imphal has no connection with activities reportedly being conducted by groups operating under the name Thadou Inpi‑GHQ in Kangpokpi district.
In a press statement, the organising committee working under the aegis of Thadou Inpi Manipur said the festival, scheduled for April 7 in Imphal, is the official cultural celebration of the Thadou community and is entirely separate from programmes allegedly conducted by what it described as unmandated groups using the name “Thadou Inpi-GHQ”. The committee stated that any activities held under the banner of that group are unrelated to the official festival.
According to the organisers, Thadou Inpi Manipur has continued efforts to safeguard the legacy and sanctity of the Hun-Thadou festival despite the ongoing situation in Manipur. The first edition of the festival was organised in 2016 at Ngahmun in Kangpokpi district.
Subsequent editions were held outside the state due to the prevailing crisis, including the sixth edition in New Delhi in 2024 and the seventh edition in Guwahati in 2025. The organisers said the eighth edition is returning to Imphal this year as part of what they described as a Thadou peace initiative aimed at promoting unity and cultural identity.
The committee also invited members of the Thadou community across different regions to celebrate the festival wherever they reside as a grassroots expression of cultural pride and unity, in line with the declaration of the Thadou Conclave held in Delhi in 2015.
The statement emphasised that the festival is a purely cultural and apolitical event dedicated to celebrating Thadou ethnic identity, traditions, language, songs and dances. Organisers further urged the Government of Manipur and other authorities not to recognise any organisation such as “TI-GHQ” in connection with the festival, stating that it has no relation to the official Hun-Thadou celebration.
Appealing to the Thadou community, the organising committee called for preserving the sanctity of the festival and supporting the official celebration in Imphal, describing it as a symbol of unity, peace, communal harmony and cultural renaissance.
