DHUBRI, March 24 - The historic Jogomaya ghat will get a floating stage to promote the culture and traditions of the district during the Namami Brahmaputra festival.
The ghat with numerous mythological and historical significance is used as a major point for trade and commerce in the district connecting it with many areas, specially the char areas, parts of Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar district and Meghalaya. But the ensuing festival is all set to give this busy port a new look. It may be mentioned here that hundreds of boats of different sizes are loaded and unloaded daily and hundreds of passengers are carried to various places.
The district administration has confirmed that two large size vassals have been brought to the Jogomaya ghat, which will be transformed into a stage for the festival. It was also ensued that the stage will be floating in the mighty river and arrangements will be made to carry the audience and the performers to the stage constantly from the banks.
However, the administration will also make sitting arrangements for the audiences in the banks of the river and the floating stage will be placed in such a way that audiences from both the banks can witness the performances.
�We have planned that all the cultural and traditional performances in the evening will be staged in this temporal floating arrangement, where we will join two vessels and make it a stage,� said Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri Dhiraj Chaudhary, in an event for releasing the schedule of the festival.
He added, �The stage will have limited sitting arrangements and many people will hesitate to travel by a boat to the stage. So arrangements have been made to enjoy the performance from the banks.�
He also said that if the weather does not permit the artistes to perform, they will be shifted to another stage that will be built in the main venue of the festival at Raja Prabhat Chandra Baruah playground, Dhubri.
Meanwhile, the administration is all set to make the festival a grand event and confirmed that the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate it on March 31.
The administration has also organised a few symposium and seminars on the literature, culture, history and heritage of the undivided Goalpara and Dhubri district.
�For these programmes, we have contacted the colleges in the districts to send resourceful representatives so that these programmes give a few productive outcome towards the protection and preservation of the precious treasures that the literature, culture, history and heritage of the district have,� said Choudhary.
Significantly, the historic Ashoka Ashtami Puja, an auspicious Hindu festival that is celebrated with great fervour in Dhubri and the Ashoka Ashtami Mela begins on the last day of the Namami Brahmaputra festival. During this festival, hundreds of devotees throng Dhubri town to take a dip in river Brahmaputra and Gadadhar.
�Although that day there will be chaos in the town due to both the festivals, we are sure we can control it. The police administration has been given the responsibility to ensure peace during the festivals,� Chaudhary added.
