A pristine attempt to consolidate the cultural roots

 

Bijoy Ghimire

 

All round development in any nation is ensured only when the nation can deliver the basic facilities and requirements to its citizens. There has to be an environment where there will be complete freedom to materialize one’s dream in every possible way. Such kind of positive environment indeed has ushered in with the Prime Ministership of Narendra Modi. Mr. Modi succeeded in striking a chord with the imagination of the youths. And he very well understands the capability of this section of the population of the country. A stable government with a dynamic and visionary leader at the helm of affairs could actually effect radical changes in a nation’s future course of actions.

 

Now, it is the responsibility of the youths as well to tap the prevailing atmosphere created by the leadership of a stable government and propel their energies towards something productive.

 

But there are always some sections in the society in the form of political parties, pressure groups, etc, who have some hidden agenda to disorient and mislead vibrant youths of the nation. To prove this point, it would be apt to illustrate how political upheavals and difference of opinions in the district of Karbi Anglong, Assam, have left no stone unturned in confusing the youths.

 

Amidst such atmosphere where vested interests are always at work, some non government organizations are selflessly and relentlessly taking initiatives to bind people together belonging to different communities.

 

Beacon (empowering the rural folk), a local NGO from the Hamren Sub Division of Karbi Anglong, Assam, recently organized EVOCO, 2014 at Hawaipur Baptist English High School. The daylong program witnessed a spectacular showcase of folk dance performances by students belonging to around 16 schools of Hamren Sub Division. Folk dance forms of Karbi, Dimasa, Nepali, Assamese, Bengali and Bhojpuri communities enthralled the audiences present on this rarest event which took place in a district which is mostly popular for bandhs, violence and unceasing clashes amongst different political parties and communities.

 

EVOCO, 2014 also facilitated a Free Health Check Up for the students and their parents besides organizing an essay competition. Health Check Up which was sponsored by GNRC, Guwahati also presented an hour long discourse on health and hygiene by its medical director Dr. J P Sarma.

 

Beacon, this way brought smile on the faces of many who can hardly imagine of getting treated by the best doctors from one of the best hospitals of Assam.

 

Formally inaugurating the program, Mr. Dharamsing Teron a political activist and an acclaimed author appreciated the unique and positive initiative undertaken by the organizers and suggested to make EVOCO bigger event every subsequent year. This, he said would draw the attention of the policy makers towards this region and thereby could take some initiatives to ameliorate the woos of the region which is considered as one of the most backward areas of Assam.

 

Initiatives of this kind where youths are involved can only dismantle the nefarious intentions harboured by the so-called leaders of such a backward district. An attempt to bind people together through culture can only resolve long standing differences amongst different groups in this ‘special’ district which is infested with insurgency for decades. And it is ‘special’ because this district has been facilitating ample opportunities and avenues to the administrators to loot.