GI-tagged Sirarakhong chilli festival returns to Ukhrul from Sept 16 with 500 growers
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla will attend opening of the three-day festival promoting best qualities of chillies
The 9th Sirarakhong Hathei Chilli Festival (Photo: @mowsamhazarika1/x)
Imphal, Sept 10: The 14th Sirarakhong Hathei (Chilli) Festival, which is usually organised in August, will be held from September 16 to 18, at Sirarakhong village in Ukhrul district. The festival seeks to promote this Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged chilli variety.
The inaugural function of the three-day festival will be attended by around 500 chilli growers under the theme, ‘A Heritage of Blessing’. Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla will be the chief guest of the function.
The Sirarakhong Hathei Festival, which has put Sirarakhong on the map as a unique place for quality chilli cultivation, also serves as a testament to the contributions of local women.
“At first, we struggled a lot to market our vegetables, including hathei. Now it has become a primary source of income for many households,” said Philayan Vashai Zimik, a founding member of the Sirarakhong Hathei Festival, first held in 2010.
Though the festival was planned in August, it was postponed to September due to extension of the ripening period following continuous rainfall, Sirarakhong village headman Wungkhayap Zimik said. “The villagers treasure their chillies like money deposited in banks,” he stated.
Sirarakhong Hathei is one of the best varieties of chillies with a distinct flavour and colour.
In September 2021, Sirarakhong Hathei, along with the Tamenglong orange, acquired the GI tags.
The GI status is an indication to identify goods as produced from a particular area, which has a special quality attributable to its geographical origin.