Jatinga Festival from October 27

Anup Biswas

Brisk preparations are underway to hold the first ever International Jatinga Festival 2010 at Jatinga on October 27-29. A host of dignitaries, delegates and guests from different parts of the state and the country have confirmed their participation in this event. Shri  Janaki Ballav Patnaikji, His Excellency the Governor of Assam is expected to grace the event as the Chief Guest in the Grand Opening Ceremony at 11.00 AM on  October 27 at the Jatinga Village Playground. The guest list includes tour operators from Maharashtra, travel writers from the various parts of the world and group of erudite speakers for the seminar, apart from strong groups of media persons from New Delhi, Guwahati, Silchar and Diphu. A number of programmes have been chalked out to highlight the Dima Hasao district as a potential tourist destination. Eco-tourism like trekking to the Hempeopet Peak, visits to different community villages and tourist spots, exhibition-cum-sale of crafts and cuisine would be some of the highlights of the festival.

There would be a Seminar on “Promotion of Tourism in the Dima Hasao District: Problems & Prospects”. Noted Naturalist Dr Anwaruddin Choudhury would present the Key Note Address and act as Moderator in the Seminar. Moreover, On-The-Spot Drawing competition for children and Quiz Competition for students would be part of this event.

The star attraction of the closing night of the event on October 29 would be Lucky Ali, celebrity Singer-Composer-Actor from Bollywood. Further, music bands like Native Rising from Dimapur, Street Stories from Shillong, Moon Wind from Guwahati, Rising Orchestra from Silchar and local bands like Maestro, Tormentor, Little Geeks and Freaks, and New Beginning have confirmed to participate in An Ode to Harmony: Musical Extravaganza Night on October 28-29 at the Dima Hasao Sports Association playground. Shri Joyram Engleng, the Chief Executive Member, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council would be the Chief Guest in the Closing Ceremony on October 29.

This festival is a humble effort towards spreading message of communal harmony amongst the people of the area, sustaining peace and tranquility, emotional integration and removing the spell of despair from the mind-space of the people. And above all, the event would open up new vistas for tourism promotion.

Shri Kulendra Daulagupu, Secretary General of the Reception Committee said that ‘The Jatinga Festival 2010 is an attempt to regain the Paradise that was lost due to the various socio-political dynamics and insurgency movement in the Dima Hasao district of Assam.” Shri Moril Massa, EM I/c Tourism and Chairman of the Reception Committee, expressed that the people of the Jatinga village and Haflong in particular and that of the Dima Hasao district in general are ready to welcome the guests from different parts of the state and the country. Shri Debojeet Thaosen, the CEM of DHAC and President, Executive Board of the JFOC said “It is a move towards making the Dima Hasao district a tourism destination from terrorism destination and would bring in changes in the mind-set of the people in the Dima Hasao District towards a better and self-reliant future.”