A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The Mising community’s annual festival, Ali Aye Ligang, was commemorated by the Assam government on Tuesday and Wednesday with two days of events. The event was organized at North Lakhimpur Mising Kala-Kristi Bikash Kendra-cum-Murom Okum, located at Borimuri under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam, in association with Lakhimpur district administration and North Lakhimpur Kendriya Ali Aye Ligang Udjapon Samiti. Notably, the continuous celebration of Ali Aye Ligang by North Lakhimpur Kendriya Ali Aye Ligang Udjapon Samiti entered its golden jubilee year this year.
The public meeting, organized on this occasion on Wednesday began with Asom Sangeet and then the presentation of a chorus song sung by the artistes of Mising Mimou Ope:. It was chaired by celebration committee president Bhumi Ranjan Doley and inaugurated by Kalinath Panging, the former chief secretary of Mising Agom Koubang (MAK). On the other hand, Lakhimpur MP Pradan Baruah delivered the welcome address. Addressing the rally, the MP highlighted the schemes adopted by governments at the Centre and in the State, for the welfare and betterment of the farmers’ community. On the other hand, Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka read out the written speech, sent by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma to the event, extending greetings to the Mising community on the occasion of the festival. MAK president Gobin Taid graced the occasion as appointed speaker who delivered the lecture by explaining the significance of the festival. “Though Ali Aye Ligang is celebrated by Mising community, the rituals of the agriculture related spring festival have a universal appeal. While celebrating the festival with deep religious faith, mother earth is expected to be fertile, crop-bearing and fruit-bearing for the betterment of the human being,” Gobin Taid said.
Addressing the rally as chief guest, State Cultural Affair Minister Bimal Borah extended heartfelt greetings to the people of the Mising community. He said that the BJP-led Government of Assam had been celebrating the Ali Aye Ligang festival officially since 2017. He reiterated the commitment of the BJP-led Government of Assam with regard to preservation and enhancement of the culture of indigenous communities of the State.
“Our government has adopted various schemes and plans to enhance the native culture of all the indigenous tribes and communities of the State. To carry out this commitment, the government, led by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, has created a new department, named as Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture. This department will help to preserve and promote the faith and culture of the anthropologically indigenous and tribal communities of the State. Standing on the strong base of our indigenous faith and culture, we must have a worldly view,” Bimal Borah asserted. He appreciated the Mising community for achieving progress in academic, intellectual and economic fields in the past few years and called upon the community concerned to keep it up. He also called upon the community frontal organizations, leading persons to lead the upcoming generations by preserving and promoting their culture and faiths. Mising Mimag Koubang vice-president Biju Pegu, TMMK secretary Sharmila Payeng Pegu, Cultural Affair Joint Secretary Dinamoni Das, Deputy Commissioner Sumit Sattawan were among those who were present in the meeting.
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