Tagged as one of the oldest ethnic festivals of Northeast India, the 5-day long mega cultural festival has attracted people from far and wide including visitors from neighboring states. Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswas Sharma, will be the chief guest on the closing ceremony of the youth festival on March 5.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Keeping in tune with its commitment towards preserving and promoting culture for the last 47 years, the 48th edition of the Karbi Youth Festival 2022 (KYF) began on Wednesday with a positive note with presentation of cultural extravaganzas and others.
Held at the permanent venue, Karbi People’s Hall, Taralangso, 2KM away from Diphu Town, Assam, the festival, like every year for the last 47 years, is being organized by Karbi Cultural Society (KCS).
Informing that the festival has been held every year in the 2nd week of February since its inception in 1974, Assistant General Secretary (Reception Committee), KYF, Mirjeng Kro, highlighted that the festival which draws participants many from including its neighbouring and other States could not be held according to its usual calendar this year due to the surge of COVID-19 pandemic across.
Tagged as one of the oldest ethnic festivals of Northeast India, the 5 days long mega cultural festival was formally inaugurated by Chief Executive Member (CEM), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Tuliram Ronghang, in presence of a large gathering including the owners of the more than 800 stall
owners including some from its sister states and others in the vast more than 500 acres of land known as Karbi People’s Hall (KPH).
The inaugural programme started with the ‘Rongketong’ cultural procession by participants drawn from more than 30 various KCS Zones from artist’s camps to Hemphu Mukrang ground.
Attired in their best (traditional), participants of the cultural programme both young and old alike marched to the Hemphu Mukrang ground with traditional dances synchronizing to the beat of the Karbi traditional drums and tune of Pongsi flutes.
At Hemphu Mukrang ground, the main venue of the festival, president, KCS, Chandra Singh Kro, hoisted the KCS flag followed by the Karbi national anthem by the Cultural Troupes of KCS Central Committee. Later, Kro in his message said the KCS was and has been always striving to work for the betterment of Karbi society and in bringing together all Karbis spread across in various districts of Assam and Northeastern states through culture.
Mentioning that under the initiative of CEM, Ronghang, has been taken up many developmental activities for the beautification of Taralangso, Ronghang also highlighted about the construction of entrance gate, Nothengpi, repairing of KCS central committee office, renovation of Longmirjeng open stage, Zonal camps, boundary walls and others.
He further said that keeping in mind the need of more artist’s camps, around 33 artist camps would be constructed shortly while also a 5000 capacity auditorium through SOPD State government sponsored scheme would be constructed at Taralangso to be completed within two years before the golden jubilee.
The KYF has become the oldest and biggest ethnic festival in the Northeast East, not only for the Karbis, but also for other ethnic tribes and communities residing in Karbi Anglong. The CEM highlighted that the decades old festival has brought not only many together while celebrating the festival but has also made it as a platform to showcase the rich culture and tradition.
Kro later also mentioned the need of developmental works in Taralangso for which he said the KAAC and KCS were working together for the same. Earlier, homage to legendary Karbi musician Ru Rangsina Sarpo and other departed persons involved in KCS and KYF were offered. The KCS also felicitated CEM Ronghang for receiving the honorary doctorate degree from Bharat Virtual University, Bangalore for Peace, Education and Development in December last.
Departmental exhibition stalls, ethnic villages, traditional items sale cum exhibition stalls, market complexes were also inaugurated by different dignitaries.
With the daylong events, breathtaking events including Miss & Mr Karbi Youth Festival 2022, National beat contest, traditional games and sports, dance and song competitions would mark the following days and evening progrommes. It may be mentioned that four major stages have been constructed for the conduct of the evening programme simultaneously.