Assam Ethnic Festival was started from 13th to 15th March, 2015 in Karbi Anglong District.
Karbi Anglong or the land of the Karbis may well be called the heart-beat of Assam. This beautiful, large sprawling district lies in the centre of Assam. This enchanting hills district with its diversely rare flora and fauna has remained untouched and undiscovered. Mother nature has indeed been very generous to Karbi Anglong yet its potentialities for tourism remain sadly untapped.
ASSAM ETHNIC FESTIVAL CONCEPT:
Preface:
Assam is an ethnic Carpet, with ethnic colorful dresses, customs, religion, food-habit, habitation, dialects and languages. There are 17 Nos. of Development Councils in the state for different Ethnic groups and Three District Autonomous Councils. But the actual numbers of ethnic groups with different languages and dialects are much more. These ethnic groups are living together for generations with a peace-full co-existence. Most of the ethnic groups know very little about each other because of their reserved nature and lack of proper platform. Feelings of oneness and mutual understanding is the demand of time. Therefore a common platform is a dire need and Ethnic harmony is a must. Assam Ethnic Festival, (an annual event) is projected to be a colorful and well pillared, common platform, for all these Ethnic groups.
The basic idea of ASSAM ETHNIC FESTIVAL will be to celebrate our state's multiple Ethnicity and harmonize them for peace and prosperity of the state and in order to showcase to the world our rich heritage.
The Objective:
1. To strengthen ethic harmony and brotherhood.
2. To introduce all ethnic groups living in Assam to each other for their socio cultural assimilation.
3. To explore and introduce the concept of Tourism Potentialities to the communities.
4. To motivate youths against Anti-Social Activity.
5. To motivate people about importance of preservation of wild life, forests and environment.
Place: Taralangso, Diphu, Karbi-Anglong district.
Dates: 13th March to 15th March 2015.
Why Karbi-Anglong ?
1. Karbi Anglong is a hill district of Assam inhabited by large Karbi community and many other ethnic groups roughly 29in numbers.
2. The head quarter Diphu is well connected by rail and road with all parts of the state and the country.
3. It has a well built infrastructure facility for organizing such festivals at Taralangso, outskirt of Diphu township with open stages, amphitheatres etc spread over in more than one hundred bigha land area.
4. It has a tradition of holding Karbi Youth festival regularly for last 40 years. Majority Karbi people have rich culture and unique way of life. They are hospitable people.
5. Karbi Anglong has lots to offer to attract tourists with its beautiful HILLS and VALLEYS, forests, flora and fauna and wild life including the world famous Kaziranga.
6. The established institutions like Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the Karbi Culural Society are moving forces for hosting and receiving guest delegates from other parts of Assam.
7. For giving the youths of Karbi Anglong a chance, hope and opportunities in the field of culture, adventure and tourism industry and motivate them away from taking arms and terrorism.
The festival:
1.Ethnic groups from all over the state shall gather at one venue i.e Taralangso, Diphu.
2.There will be Food-mela with Ethnic kitchen and stalls.
3.Ethnic Cultural exchanges,functions, exhibitions and fashion shows round the clock in open stages.
4.Artistes and delegates will live together at one venue at Taralangso.
5.Seminars and discussions on tourism potentialities will be organized.
6.Govt. participation with stalls and exhibitions to propagate messages of development schemes.
Requirements:
1. The most important requirement for hosting such a big event is peoples participation. Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the Karbi Cultural Society which are the spear heading organization for holding Karbi Youth Festival for last 40 years have accepted and agreed to actively participate in organizing Assam Ethnic Festival at Diphu.
2. The govt works departments under the KAAC like PWD,PHE, APDCL and others have been moved for cooperation.
3. A tentative budget of Rs.45.00 lakh is required.
Funds:
1. Deptt of Tourism, Govt of Assam budget of Rs20.00 lakh.
2. Sponsorship from KAAC, Diphu, CCI, Bokajan, Nationalised Banks etc.
More about the 1st Assam Ethnic Festival 2015, Karbi Peoples' Hall, Taralangso, Karbi Anglong:
The 1st Assam Ethnic Festival is the first of its kind cultural extravaganza which aims at showcasing all the communities residing in Assam under one roof. Assam is known world over for the vivid diversities of communities it is home to and also its colourful cultural attributes. Here, with this festival, we aim at bringing these very colours out of the canvas and in-front of the world. The festival not only will be a converging point annually for the communities but also will a learning experience for all about each other thereby propagating the message of unity in diversity. Home to over a dozen tribe and communities, Assam is not only a picture of ethnicity but also a land where many a stories have been written. The Tai Ahoms, Karbi, Kachari, Bodo, Mising, Deori, and many more feathers of the same cap have been living together in this land of Mighty rivers since ages. And we take this small initiative in showcasing the same through this festival.
The 1st edition of this festival is going to be held at Taralangso, the heart of Karbi Anglong, home to the colourful tribe known as Karbi. A sprawling 800 bigha plus land marked with beautiful hillocks and vegetation is also the hotspot of Karbi culture as it has been the host to the Karbi Youth Festival for over four decades now. As we thought of the 1st ever ensemble of all the communities of Assam we could think of no other place than Taralangso to start this colourful endeavour.
We, with warm hearts, welcome you to our magical land to experience this cultural extravaganza together this March. Come be a part of the history in making, be a part of this celebration of our identity, be a part of Assam.... Feel the Vibrance!
Conclusion-
The Assam Ethnic Festival hosted in Karbi Anglong district will prove to be a big-leap forward towards socio-economic change for the people of the district by way of opening opportunities in tourism sector and it is expected to uproot the long pending issues of terrorism and insurgency.
