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Bihu, Satriya dances deserve global exposure: Nagen Saikia

By STAFF Correspondent

DIBRUGARH, April 18 - Eminent writer and former president of Asam Sahitya Sabha, Dr Nagen Saikia today said that efforts must be made to take the unique Bihu and Satriya dances of Assam to the international audience.

The society is witnessing rapid changes in all spheres with the advancement of science and technology. This change is also having an impact on people�s mind, their thinking and human behaviour as a whole, he said.

Despite all these challenges, we have to keep our identity intact by clinging to our roots, preserving our culture and traditions, besides promoting it, said Dr Saikia as he declared the mega four-day central Bihu festival open at the Chowkidinghee ground here. He called upon the audience to popularise the State�s culture. Dr Saikia was the chief guest at the inaugural function.

The Brihottar Dibrugarh Rongali Bihu Utsav under a giant marquee at Chowkidinghee ground is being organised centrally under the initiative of the Dibrugarh public led by the district unit of All Assam Students� Union (AASU). The inaugural ceremony was presided over by Dr Amit Baruah, president of the organising committee of Brihottar Dibrugarh Rongali Bihu Utsav.

AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who attended the inaugural function of the four-day event as a distinguished guest, said that although Bihu evolved into Mukoli Bihu and Mancha Bihu with the passage of time, the Assamese people must not forget the genesis. �We have to preserve and promote our Bihu, right from the genesis. We must let the world know about our rich culture and traditions,� said Gogoi.

The organisers also felicitated a few senior and prominent members of the district during the function. Those felicitated included veteran cine artiste Bishnu Kharghoria, Dr Tapan Saikia, Dr Nipen Gogoi, dhol exponents - Tulsi Ojha and Golap Ojha. Dr Shristidhar Dutta, former Dean of Social Sciences of Rajiv Gandhi Central University, Itanagar also attended the inaugural function.

After the inaugural function, several ethnic groups presented their traditional dances as part of the Mukoli Bihu. Cultural troupes from both tribal and non-tribal communities staged their dances. A troupe from the Sikh community also performed on the occasion. The Mukoli Bihu was introduced to the audience with a prolific performance by Dhol exponent Tulsi Ojha and his team. Similar community Bihu functions are also being organised at different places of the city here. The George School Rongali Bihu Utsav is the oldest community Bihu festival in the region.

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