Shirui Festival 2018 ~ Lukhendro Keisham

Shirock 2018 main-stage at Bakshi Ground, Ukhrul.

Visited Ukhrul town for the first time on opening day of Shirui Festival 2018 on 24th April. We started late from home so we reach the venue at dark after three hours drive from Imphal. All took a break at a temporary roadside food stall before reaching Litan. We were Akash Keisham, Ibomcha Oinam, Chandra Irengbam, Shyamsundar Nameirakpam, Rajeshkumar Nongthombam, Ithoiba Potshangbam and me, Lukhendro Keisham.

The sky on the way to Ukhrul.

Reaching Ukhrul town at dark we drove straight for Bakshi Ground where the Shirock 2018 event was taking place. We still got some time to rub off the dust from the journey at the parking loot. Steelheart, the Norwalk, Connecticut, United States based rock band was performing live for the first time in India. But it was a disappointment for all who came all the way exclusively for Shirock 2018. Silly management drawbacks, bad sound system and inferior venue design tempted us to rise many questions to the organizer, Govt. of Manipur. But for an event this young we set our disappointments aside and blessed ourselves to witness such events here in Manipur. The venue was half full that day.

Lanterns at Bakshi Ground, Ukhrul.

She's Gone, the most anticipated song of the band was the last at their set-list and the favorite number for all, we all sang along from the crowd. Wishess, the winner of previous edition's Shirock Band Competition opened for Steelheart. The show ended at around 10:47 pm.

Dinner was served at a nearby hotel and we drove back for home after midnight around 12:40 am. We took a tea break at Ramva along with some shopping at the vegetable stalls to take back home. After dropping Ithoiba Potshangbam at his home in Wangkhel Khounou we reach Oinam at around 3:30 am on 25th April.

To Bakshi Ground on foot from Mini Sacretariat, Ukhrul for Queensryche.
(L-R) Akash, Ibomcha, Lukhendro, Phunibabu, Shyamsunder, Rajeshkumar, Ithoiba & Rowland.

Our visit on the first day of Shirui Festival only turn out to be an unfinished business after we reach homes. It was like Ukhrul has been calling us all again since the moment we left that day. Honestly our first visit was like a trip to home from our own homes and step down for awhile at Ukhrul on the way back for a break. So we hit the road back on 28th April, 2018 which the final day of Shirui Festival 2018. Apart from the earlier team we are joined by Rowland Soibam (aka Thrash) and Phunibabu Oinam.

With AMBUSH, the first runners up band of Shirock 2018 band competition.

This time again we set out for Shirock 2018's venue at Bakshi Ground where another American band, Queensrÿche was performing. The show was much much better than the opening day's. Newspaper report estimates the visitors alone for Shirock on that day was 30,000 souls. This time we brought tents and set them at an open ground nearby, it was the courtyard of an under construction church.

We woke up with the first ever daylight view of Ukhrul on 29th April, 2018. Later found that there was a graveyard next to the ground we set our tents on, it was dark and we didn't see any around the other day. We took a drive around the town, visited the empty Ema or Women Market building recently inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Manipur Mr. N.Biren Singh on the opening day of Shirui Festival 2018 i.e 24th April, 2018. We had a snick pick of the structure and to be honest the building was never completed but inaugurated. We saw the unfinished construction materials, mostly at the upper floor. But kudos to the CM and the Government of Manipur for showing such an interest to the people of Ukhrul by hosting the festival and presenting the new market building. This will sure bring the people of Ukhrul closer to the outside world.

Inside the Ema Market at Ukhrul Town.

(L-R) Ibomcha, Akash, Rajeshkumar, Ithoiba & Shyamsunder.

It was Sunday and all shops remain closed along the entire stretch of Ukhrul town. Or may be we were too early to judge the business hours around. Just that we were about to have tea at the only tea stall we found thick fog of clouds covered the entire town. It only took around 5 mins. to gulp the entire town with almost zero visibility. Lightning and thunder followed next. We joked that another sound and light check is being done now for an after event party and the cloud as the natural mask to darken the venue. We left the tea stall without tea in a hurry to leave for home before the storm gets worse. Hard later that electricity was out the whole day due to heavy storm later that day.

But before we head for our homes we drove straight to Sekmai for lunch and some Sekmai. The rest was the memoir we spent at Ukhrul this time and the trip earlier. We were free birds in Shirui Festival 2018.

The famous Sekmai meal for travellers.

Once served no one waits for the photographer, joke was we went to the fish section first. In Sekmai.

After hot and cream coffee we ordered these ice creams. And we even toss a coin to choose between strawberry and pineapple.

The newly inaugurated Ema/Women Market building at Ukhrul Town, the morning scene.

Early morning at Ema/Women Market.

Ithoiba Potshangbam scratching his head, acting disguise after he push the vehicle at the gorge....lol. We stopped our vehicle thinking the accident happened awhile ago with no one to attain to.