Shirui Lily Literature Festival Debuts in Ukhrul as Part of the Celebrated Shirui Lily Festival

IN A landmark moment for Ukhrul and the literary landscape of Northeast India, the first-ever Shirui Lily Literature Festival is to be held on 21-22 May 2025 at TBG 125 Hall, Mission Compound, Alungtang, Hunphun, Ukhrul. The event is the first of its instances being incorporated in the broader cultural program of the Shirui Lily Festival. Notably, it is the first literature festival of this scale to be held in Ukhrul.

Held under the theme “Literature as a Timeless Bridge Between Generations”, the festival seeks to create a space where oral traditions meet contemporary narratives. It will bring together readers, writers, publishers, artists, and cultural practitioners to celebrate the power of storytelling in preserving histories, shaping and articulating identities, and fostering a more thoughtful future. In an age of fleeting trends and fast information, the act of reading and writing remains one of the most powerful tools we have to understand ourselves—and each other. 

This year’s festival will be a gathering ground for intergenerational dialogue, community memory, and the written word. At its heart, it is a celebration of identity—an open invitation to Ukhrul and beyond to come together around stories, ideas, and the enduring power of literature.

What to Expect

The festival will feature a rich and diverse lineup of sessions featuring intimate readings and poetry to thought-provoking panel discussions and skill-building workshops. Audiences can expect conversations that unpack how colonial and outsider narratives have historically shaped the identity of Northeast India, and how today’s writers are reclaiming that space with agency and intention. Other sessions will explore the dynamics of publishing in India, shedding light on the challenges and possibilities for regional voices trying to reach wider audiences.

One of the standout themes will be cultural assimilation in Tangkhul society—from the influence of western films to the rise of Korean pop culture—and how these global trends are shaping youth identity, aspirations, and generational shifts. The festival will also delve into the art of visual storytelling, where illustrators and image-makers explore how drawing, photography, and other visual media can preserve culture and evoke memory in powerful ways.

Workshops on archiving and documentation will offer participants hands-on approaches to preserving oral history, community knowledge, and storytelling traditions—an urgent need in a region where so much of the past remains undocumented. Sessions on contemporary fiction and poetry will invite writers to reimagine the present and speak to the future, while the open mic segment will provide a platform for emerging voices to share their work in an inclusive and encouraging environment.

The festival brings together a compelling mix of voices from across and beyond the Northeast. Featured speakers include Deepthi Talwar, Mmhonlumo Kikon, Ankush Saikia, Raile Rocky Ziipao, Jim Wungramyao Kasom, Hermyne Khaling, David Yambem, Leisan Lungshai Luikham, Subi Taba, Iknguira L. Shimray, Phayam Raleng, Chonchuirinmayo Luithui Pheiray and Rosemary Ishorari from the Northeast India AV Archive in Shillong. Together, they represent a wide spectrum of perspectives, genres, and lived experiences that reflect the diversity and literary vitality of the region.

Since its announcement, the festival has been met with excitement and a collective sense of support from the community—a much-welcome addition to the annual Shirui Lily Festival. 

Literature festivals have gained immense popularity across the country — from Jaipur to Kerala — becoming vibrant spaces where readers, writers, and thinkers gather to explore ideas, identities, and imagination. For Ukhrul, known for its deep-rooted oral history and cultural richness, the inclusion of a literature festival is a natural progression. It is both a celebration and a reclaiming — a declaration that stories from the hills have a place in the broader literary conversation. 

The Shirui Lily Literature Festival is organised by a collective of young cultural workers and literary enthusiasts from Recognise Rise and Empower Association (RREA), Prologue Bookstore and Library, ishi, and Pasei Books and Studio whose shared vision for storytelling and community engagement anchors the event. The festival is supported by Mariwala Health Initiative, the Department of Tourism, Manipur, with Ukhrul Times as the official media partner and Ukiyo Bookstore as the bookstore partner.

For more information please contact Shiruililylitandbookfest@gmail.com