Skip to content Skip to navigation

The Sunday Show that was

By Bg Gogoi |

It was a swashbuckling show of rainbow culture that came alive to mesmerize the denizens of Delhi. More than 5,000 people who thronged at the lawns of India Gate on the chilly Sunday evening in the national capital were treated to a never before showcasing of the diverse cultural capital of North East. This was how the Assam Association, Delhi celebrated its diamond jubilee with a grand show of music and dances choreographed and presented with clockwork precision. Then the models with ethnic wear sashayed the stage, a treat words fail to describe and will have to be appreciated with own eyes.

Organized by the Assam Association, Delhi with the help of North East Television and Khatta Mitha brand of products, the brief but grand event was attended among others by Union Minister for DONER Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice Dr M K Sharma, and Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma, Mr. Sarbananda Sonowal, Mr. Tapir Gao, all MPs from the north eastern region.

Inauguration of Northeast Cultural Show
DoNER Minister Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar (middle) inaugurated the event.
General Secretary Dr Hareswar Deka towards left and President
Gr Capt. A. C Baruah on the right

Talking to Assam Times, the General Secretary of the association Dr Hareswar Deka said that the event was attended by over 5000 people of Delhi and the national capital region. The fashion show had 22 models to showcase the rich dresses from the seven sister states and Sikkim. What made every body spellbound was a model who was wearing a dress dating back to the Ahoms period of 1857. Other programmes includes Bihu from Assam, and bamboo dance (cherao) from Mizoram, Ojapali and Sattriya from Assam, Abutani from Arunachal, Bagobomba, Naga war dances, Martial art from Manipur.

Bihu was part of the event
Bihu was part of the event

The association has not forgotten the scope of Assam during its formative years, when many other states of the North Eastern Region were part of Assam. Association has organized the festival of North Eastern states' dance and music yesterday. A prestigious location like India gate Lawns has added flavour to the festival of the sister states. This festival is being organized to foster bonhomie and brotherhood among the sister states. The association believes that unity among diversity is the 'mantra' of our nationhood, and the initiative of binding the region with the mainstream has also to come from within.

After a glorious innings of 60 years in the national capital, Assam Association, Delhi- the common platform of the Delhite Assamese has taken up a series of programmes and activities to celebrate the Diamond jubilee in a befitting manner. The association is taking steps to make the celebrations a memorable one in tune with its relentless efforts of showcasing the diverse cultural heritage of Assam before the denizens of the national capital.

fashion_show2_599153163.jpg

The jubilee was flagged off with a concert by Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his worthy sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan at the majestic Siri Fort Auditorium on 8th February' 08; the concert was aptly named as 'STRINGS OF PEACE'. The concert was sponsored primarily by ONGC Ltd. and co-sponsored by Oil India Ltd and Ansal Properties Ltd.

The association is organizing a series of lectures by prominent people to bring about an understanding of the region among media, intellectuals, policy makers, planners, bureaucrats, citizens etc. of the capital city. The first lecture in the series was delivered on 16th Feb'08 at USI auditorium located at Rao Tularam Marg by Lt. General (Retd) S K Sinha, Hon'ble Governor of J&K on the glorious history of Assam.

Pride of Assam, noted film maker Sri Jahnu Barua will speak about A United North East- My never ending dream in Deputy Speaker's Hall Constitution Club, Rafi Marg on 1st March, 08.

Famous TV commentator and writer Sir Mark Tully will deliver a lecture on Telling the North East Story: The conflict and the media on 8th March.

Famous historian Dr. Ramachandra Guha will deliver an eye opening lecture on History of independence as if the North East mattered on 29th March'08 at the Speaker's Hall Constitution Club, Rafi Marg.

An all India prize money essay entitled "Sankaradeva: a Saint-Poet-Artist-and Scholar' is being organized among college students to sensitise the youth about the great social reformer, saint, poet, playwright, guru and his tenets.

The Association is full of talents and a programme with local resources is being planned for 6th April'08 at Kamani Auditorium. 5 times President of the association and current Chief Minister of Assam Sri Tarun Gogoi will be joining the members during the programme. The winners of the Essay competition will be given away the awards on that day. Also an open session will be held and former Presidents and General Secretaries of the association, who toiled to make the association, what it is today will be felicitated publicly.

The grand finale will be held on the day of Rongali Bihu festival on 20th April. A bihu team will be invited from Sibsagar, Assam and the star attraction of the show will be Zubin Garg and Debojit Saha. The bihu team will also present bihu programmes before the students of a few select schools in Delhi. The venue is likely to be again India Gate lawns.

The celebrations are aimed at creating an everlasting impact in the minds of the Delhite for a long time to come and to create a positive image about Assam.

Author info

Bg Gogoi's picture

Journalist, Coder, Traveler. Facebook: https://facebook.com/gogoi
  • 10840 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Zubeen Garg (1972–2025): the voice that carried Assam's soul to every corner of the world

When Zubeen Garg stepped onto a stage, whether in a packed Guwahati stadium or before a modest rural crowd, something remarkable happened: the air thickened with anticipation, and the moment he sang, generations sang with him. On September 19, 2025, that voice — at once fiery, tender, and uncontainable — was silenced forever in Singapore under tragic circumstances. He was 53. For Assam and the Northeast, Zubeen was not simply a musician; he was a living cultural movement, a heartbeat that synchronized with millions. A singer, composer, lyricist, actor, and filmmaker, his career spanned over three decades and encompassed songs in more than 40 languages and dialects. His music shaped...

Journalist Shot in Manipur Days After Nagaland Deputy CM’s Threat

In a chilling reminder of the dangers faced by the press, Hornbill TV reporter Dip (Deep) Saikia was shot in Manipur’s Senapati district on Saturday evening, just a week after being publicly threatened by Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton. The brazen attack has sent shockwaves across the Northeast, raising urgent questions about political intimidation and the safety of journalists. Saikia, a young reporter from Assam’s Jorhat district, had travelled to Laii village to cover the Zinnia Flower Festival when he was targeted. Witnesses say an assailant opened fire, striking him in the leg and underarm. Villagers quickly subdued the attacker, who was reportedly carrying an air...

From Finance to Futures: Why NEDFi Matters to the Northeast

When Shri PVSLN Murty, Chairman and Managing Director of the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi), speaks about entrepreneurship in the Northeast, it does not sound like the language of a banker. It sounds more like the voice of someone who has walked the muddy lanes of remote villages, spoken with women artisans at their looms, and listened to farmers struggling to sell their produce. In his recent television interview, Murty painted a picture of a Northeast alive with ideas, but constrained by access. His reflections move beyond institutional reports and into a larger vision: finance not merely as credit, but as liberation, dignity, and futures being rewritten...

A Week of Music That Touched My Soul: Lou Majaw, Peso Pluma & Bhupen Hazarika

This week, I’ve been swept away by three songs from very different worlds—but each one touched something deep inside me. They tell stories of life, struggle, hope, and joy in their own unique ways. And I want to share how these songs became a part of my own story. Rose in My Garden — Lou Majaw’s New Video, A Dream Finally Realized The highlight of my week—and honestly, a moment I’ve been waiting for—is the official music video release of Rose in My Garden by Lou Majaw, my all-time favourite musician and a true living legend of Northeast India’s rock scene. Written back in 1993 on a lazy summer afternoon in Shillong, this song has been a quiet companion in my life for years. But...

Indigenous Communities protest against Land Grab Conspiracy

A massive protest was held in the Boroduar Bagan region of the Goalpara district, where Indigenous communities came together to assert their rights over land they have long inhabited. With banners stating "The land belongs to those who occupy it—first give us the land, then give it to the traders," local men and women from various tribal communities rallied to protect their ancestral land from external forces trying to seize it. Since early morning, Indigenous people from far-flung villages have gathered to resist the threat of losing the land they have occupied for decades. Amid growing fears of displacement, many workers, shopkeepers, and farmers have left their fields to join the...

Assam Leopards: Habitat Loss Fuels Conflict, Community Program Pushes Coexistence

Assam, one of India’s seven biodiversity rich northeastern states, presents a landscape of lush evergreen forests and grasslands that is home to a great diversity of species including many of the rare cat species. Of the magnificent felines--while the tiger enjoys the lion share of all conservation efforts--the leopard however, continues to remain neglected. A Scheduled I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the survival of the leopard (Panthera pardus) in Assam is under threat due to an expanding human population and accompanying development and habitat fragmentation.  “...

Anjali's Book: A Guwahati Tale

Anjali is my friend. She lived in Guwahati for nearly three years. I didn't know she was researching this book! I love to read books. Recently, I read her book, "Keeping in Touch." It's a love story set in today's world. The story is about Keteki, a designer, and Ved, a businessperson. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. The story begins with Keteki and Ved meeting at an airport. Ved is going to Assam to see a special lightbulb factory. Keteki is coming back home to Guwahati after an art show in London. Their chance meeting leads to a love story that goes beyond borders and takes them on adventures in Assam and other places. What I liked about "Keeping in Touch" is how Anjali...

Aspiration of Assamese students on the rise

During the Covid-19, a few brave Assamese boys and girls sailed offshore in search of their destiny, braving heavy odds like the lack of flights, lack of appointments for visas and uncertainty in foreign land. In the most unprecedented times in the history of mankind, now when the world goes through spells of complete lockdown, the youth were clueless about how to deal with this situation. Nevertheless, some brave-hearts embraced challenges with the right spirit and converted them to opportunities. Dewang Rajkakati is one of them. He left India during the height of the Corona Pandemic in December 2020 after completing B Tech from SRM University. He studied MS from the State...

Encounter claims life in Kokrajhar

KOKRAJHAR: An encounter incident took place in the Ultapani forest area along the Indo-Bhutan border area of Kokrajhar district on Thursday night that reportedly killed a person who was allegedly involved with extremist activities recently in Chirang district. The deceased was identified as Sanjula Wary, 26, of the Sapkata area of the Gossaigaon subdivision. Police arrested Sanjula Wary(26) of Kashiabari Dulagaon under Gossaigaon police station on Thursday. as per police, he was earlier a member of the NLFB Udalguri camp and had formed an extremist gang of about 10-15 members who were personally involved in the recent dacoity and firing incident at Bithani village under Amteka in...

Govt downplays allegations of encounter-raj

Guwahati: An orgy of "encounters" triggered no less uproar in the state assembly on Monday, where the government denied any such case of an encounter by police. According to the government, there is nothing new in a few incidents of deaths of criminals in police firing in the state. Opposition legislators alleged a mysterious rise in the number of deaths in police firings since the new government was installed in Dispur. Senior minister Piyush Hazarika tried to pacify the legislators by saying that there is no such word as "encounter" in the Assam police manual. He said that police can’t remain idle if a criminal tries to flee from custody.  “It was during the erstwhile...