NEW DELHI: Just a few metres away from the Prime Minister’s residence, the air reverberated with melody of dhol, pepa (hornpipe) and gogona (jaw harp), as Modi celebrated Bihu with the Assamese community on Saturday giving Bihu a national centrestage.
Hosted by shipping and Ayush minister Sarbananda Sonowal at his residence on Safdarjung Road, artistes presented traditional Bihu and guests relished delicacies from Assam after the cultural presentation.
Bihu celebration at such a scale in the national capital is being seen as a “significant link” to the Modi government’s focus on the economic and cultural development of the northeast region, resolving borders issues between the seven NE states, and gradually removing AFSPA from the region in the next three to four years.
The cultural evening, which started at 7:30 pm, continued for over three hours with the PM, the ambassador of Vietnam, diplomats from Bhutan, Harivansh Narayan Singh, deputy speaker of Rajya Sabha, and Union ministers Anurag Singh Thakur, Meenakshi Lekhi, Narendra Singh Tomar, Baijayant Panda, BJP’s national vice president and MP MC Mary Kom along with guests from the north eastern state residing in Delhi-NCR enjoying the dance and musical performances.
The evening started with a Bihu husori by Prasanna Gogoi and his team, following by an enthralling folk fusion by Asim Gogoi and team presenting the colourful traditions of various tribes from Assam. Renowned violin player Sunita Khaund Bhuyan presented a melodious rendition including songs of Bhupen Hazarika. Popular singers Priyanka Bharali and Rajiv Nath made the guests join her to sing and dance and celebrate Bihu, the way it’s done in Assam in the final performance of the evening. In the second half of the programme, defence minister Rajnath Singh too joined the celebrations giving Bihu a national centrestage.
Sonowal welcomed dignitaries with the Assamese gamucha (scarf). He greeted and felicitated Modi with a traditional dhol and ban bati (traditional Asamese soup bowl).
