Assam: Rongali Bihu festivity grips Mangaldai

MANGALDAI: An august gathering of more than 1000 enthusiastic people including senior citizens, women activists, students wearing their traditional attire attended the first day’s programmes of Rongali Bihu organized for the first time by Mangaldai Kendriya Rongali Bihu Sanmilani at Bhebarghat Public Field. President of the Bihu Sanmilani Dilip Saikia marked the beginning of the celebration by hoisting the Bihu flag. In his speech, Dilip Saikia offered hearty Rongali Bihu greetings to the people of Assam as well as of Darrang-Udalguri HPC and said that the theme song of Rongali Bihu celebration ‘Shri Moyee Asomir Sheetal Bukut’ composed by Puroshattam Das has truly reflected the vision and dream of a strong Asom on the basis of unity among the ethnic tribes and groups of the state.

“In this Rongali Bihu celebration we should take the pledge to create work culture and to create an atmosphere to encourage the educated unemployed youth to take up agriculture so that the fertile evergreen Motherland Assam can be transformed into one of the prosperous states in the country” added Dilip Saikia. Significantly though Dilip Saikia, the BJP candidate for Darrang-Udalguri HPC was busy in making his poll campaign, yet he avoided uttering any politically motivated words only to maintain the sanctity of Rongali Bihu.

Mangaldai legislator-cum-working president of Mangaldai Kendriya Rongali Bihu Sanmilani Basanta Das taking part in the Smriti Tarpan function offered floral tribute in memory of the departed pious souls of Mangaldai. Nonagenarian social activist and former president of Darrang Zila Sahitya Sabha Phulendra Nath Saharia who was also the founder secretary of Rongali Bihu celebration at Mangaldai in 1951 inaugurated the cultural function.

Recalling his role as the founder secretary of Rongali Bihu at Mangaldai, a feeling of nostalgia gripped his mind to make him emotional. He expressed his delight to see the involvement of a large gathering on the very inaugural day and hoped that the Rongali Bihu celebration would be able to bring a new taste.

Several prominent persons including ideal progressive farmer Gautam Barua were offered hearty felicitation.

In the cultural programme the traditional ‘Thiyo Naam’ of Barpeta, Mising Bibu team from Dhemaji, Oja Pali of Sipajhar and young artistes of Mangaldai made the audience spellbound with their excellent performance. Artiste of repute Jibendra Mohan Sarma also enthralled the audience with his musical performance.

It is significant to note that the Mangaldai Kendriya Rongali Bihu Sanmilan in a unique initiative has arranged for an exhibition with the display of the meaning and significance of the Bihu celebrations in all the first seven days of Assamese month ‘Bohag’ in words and pictures with display of the traditional equipments of Assamese culture and heritage. A display of the photo of all the 101 varieties of herbs essential for Rongali Bihu was also displayed.

Secretary of Mangaldai Kendriya Rongali Bihu Sanmilani Diganta Moni Borah (Biman) while expressing hearty gratitude for the overwhelming participation in the inaugural day’s programme, has requested the participation of all section of the citizens in the remaining programmes.

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