Govt committed to regenerate pride of indigenous people: Himanta

Guwahati, April 13: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that his government is committed to regenerate the pride and prestige of the state’s indigenous communities.

There is an urgent need to make the upcoming generations realise the importance of being rooted to their cultural heritage and identity, the chief minister said after the ceremonial distribution of financial grants to Bihu Celebration Committees here.

Rongali or Bohag Bihu, a festival that marks the Assamese new year, will begin on April 14 in 2023. There are two other Bihus that are held in different times of the year.

“It is due to lack of proper knowledge about ethnic heritages that the younger generations are often seen indulging in fruitless debates and discussions on irrelevant topics on social media”, Sarma added.

The Chief Minister distributed one-time financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh each to a total of 2,114 Bihu celebration committees from across the state, an initiative launched last year by the Cultural Affairs Department of the Assam government.

Bihu is a representation of the rich cultural heritage of the Assamese community and the initiative was aimed at ensuring that the festival is celebrated in a manner befitting its significance in the state’s cultural sphere, he said.

“There is a significant difference between the manner in which Bihu was celebrated during the mediaeval period, especially during the Ahom era, and the manner in which it is celebrated now. These reflect the progressive nature of the Assamese society in general”, Sarma said.