Guwahati hosts Assam harmony fest to honour Hazarika, Zubeen

Guwahati: To celebrate the birth centenary of cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika and pay tribute to renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, the five-day Assam harmony festival has been organised at Hajongbori on the Brahmaputra riverbank in the Chandrapur area of the city.The festival is being organised by the ‘Folk Culture Research and Development Samity’ to showcase the state’s rich and diverse cultural heritage while promoting harmony through folk tradition, art and international cultural exchange.“The festival will be inaugurated by Koji Sato, the director general of the Japan Foundation, and Mohamed Khater, the first secretary of the embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt, highlighting global cultural participation in the event,” said Monikanchan Buragohain, founder general secretary of the Samity.He also said apart from performances by local artists, the festival will also feature cultural presentation by several international artists, including Kaori Naka from Japan, Pasuk Waeosri from Thailand, Nuwan Wijekoon Bandara Ekanayaka Mudiyanselage from Sri Lanka, and world-renowned sand artist Sudarshana Pattnaik, and Odissi guru Gajendra Panda, supported by the Odisha govt, are also expected to perform.

The festival will also host exhibitions by entrepreneurs from the handicraft, horticulture, bamboo and industrial sectors, supported by the department of culture, Govt of Assam; development commissioner (handicrafts), Govt of India; directorate of horticulture; Assam State Bamboo Mission and the Industry Department of Assam.