Skip to content Skip to navigation

Assam2008 held in USA

By editor |
The NRI Assamese get together, Assam2008 of North America was held again this year on the 4th of July weekend. This annual event is part of an on-going effort to bring together the scattered Assamese community in North America for a celebration of Assamese heritage and culture. As always there is good fellowship, fun filled activities, cultural programs, special workshops, special presentations and of course lot of good food - catered and home baked. It was a 3 day event. The 1st day, July 3rd started with reception, registration, and then a group dinner at very nice restaurant where people can chat & socialize. The evening would have ended with dance to DJ Music. However, due to some family tragedy in one of the families this event was cancelled for the night. July 4th & 5th were filled many activities including options for families to go site seeing tour of nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park and Long Wood Botanical Garden during morning and early after noon.

Our guest artist for the event was well known Ms. Tarali Sarma, the only Assamese National Film Award winner for Best Female Playback Singer for the film Akashi Torar Kothare in 2004. She is a regular performing artist of All India Radio & Dooradarshan. She is a singer, composer, director, & philanthropist. Tarali not only performed on both days, but she also participated with our local talented artist Sankumani Sarma in a duet and played the harmonium in another song. She simply got everyone involved in singing and dancing on both days. Everyone had a blast having a good time and enjoyed her down to earth personality. We wish the best to Ms. Tarali Sarma and her family. Folks also bought Tarali’s latest CD like a hot cake.

In addition to our guest artist there were plenty other very talented artists who performed many different cultural items from flute recital, karate, Satriya dance, Assamese modern dance, Bihu dances, Husori, Hindi songs, Gazals, of course lot of Assamese songs, Bihu songs, Boro dances, too many to mention here. Thanks to all the talented local artists, without their support and participation we could not hold these events . The cultural show on 4th was started with a chorus specially composed for the event. Thanks go to Mrs. Anuja Bala Devi of Guwahati for composing. Music was given by her son Mr. Sankumani Sarma. Thank you Sankumani!

Some of the other highlights of the event was a workshop on CPR & Heimlich Maneuver, something everyone should know. Thanks to Dr. Nirode Das for this work shop where many got hands on training. FASS, Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters, USA representative Mr. Rajen Barua gave a very informative presentation on FASS and on the myriads of much needed projects the group is working on. He also showed the 1st ever Assamese audio-video show of a folk tale for children by Ankur Bora. And last but not least released "Learn Assamese with Flash Card", which sold like hot cakes.

By Dhruba Das, Pennsylvania, USA

Comments

Utpal Kumar Sharma's picture

Submitted by Utpal Kumar Sharma on Sat, 19/07/2008 - 18:02
Hi everybody there in US. Myself is Sankumani's elder brother from Guwahati. I was very happy to see the good works done by u people in US for Assamese culture and heritage.

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

MYP bandh evokes mixed response

Normal life in parts of the state has been thrown out of gear under the impact of the day-long bandh called by a minority organization to protest the BTAD violence. Shops, schools, business establishment and financial institutions remained closed. Skeleton transport services are in on the national highway. The bandh has been called by new outfit Muslim Yuva Parishad on Thursday morning which ends in the evening.

BTAD violence: CBI team grills Brahma

A CBI team grills Pradeep Kumar Brahma a d after the West Kokrajhar MLA was arrested from his residence in Dotoma in connection with the BTAD violence where 80 people lost their lives in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Dhubri districts during the last couple of weeks. Police have registered altogether seven cases against the BPF MLAs. Pradeep Brahma, alias Gara, who represents Kokrajhar (West) constituency, was arrested from his house at Dotoma near Kokrajhar town at about 1 AM as seven cases had already been registered against him in several police stations. Notably, a team of police led by Kokrajhar superintendent of police picked up Brahma and took him to the Circuit House where...

BPF threatens to pull out of govt

Peeved at Pradeep Kumar Brahma’s arrest in connection with BTAD violence, BPF on Thursdy threatened to withdraw support from the Tarun Gogoi government. BPF leaders have alleged that Brahma is a victim of political conspiracy and that his arrest was unwanted. They said that AIUDF president Badaruddin Ajmal is the main culprit of the entire gory episode. According to them, police could not produce any letter of consent from the Assam Assembly Speaker when Pradeep Kumar Brahma was arrested.

Brahma to be produced in court

Pradeep Brahma would be produced before a lower court in Kokrajhar on Thursday a day after the BPF MLA was arrested in connection with the BTAD violence. A team of police picked up the West Kokrajhar MLA from his residence in Dotoma and was straightly taken to the Kokrajhar Circuit House where the interrogation is going. Meanwhile, Brahma’s arrest triggers a massive protest in Kokrajhar when the party workers came out early in the morning to block the National Highway.

Protest brews over MLA arrest

The arrest of BPF MLA Pradeep Kumar Brahma triggers a massive protest in Kokrajhar when the party workers came out early in the morning to block the National Highway. Some others have blocked the trains in the district. Immediately after police arrested the West Kokrajhar MLA from his Dotoma-based residents, BPF workers led by a few leaders took to the streets alleging that Brahma was arrested bereft of any reason. Notably, police have arrested BPF MLA Pradeep Kumar Brahma from Kokrajhar on Wednesday night. Brahma, the BPF MLA from West Kokrajhar was picked up by a team of police from his own residence in Dotoma.

Dhubri: 2 killed as riot resurfaces

Two more persons were killed and another injured in a fresh incident of violence in Dhubri on Wednesday.The incident took place when unidentified miscreants shot dead two laborers working in a brick kiln at Bangaldoba in Dhubri district.

BPF MLA arrested from Kokrajhar

Amid simmering violence police have arrested BPF MLA Pradeep Kumar Brahma from Kokrajhar on Wednesday night. Brahma, the BPF MLA from West Kokrajhar was picked up by a team of police from his own residence in Dotoma. He is likely to be produced in court Thursday. But the BPF workers are launching a massive protest against it in the form of National Highway 31 blockade.

Tension in Merapani: house set afire

Once again Merapani falls in the deep grip of tension when unidentified miscreants burnt down a house on Tuesday. The incident took place at Garhbasti along the Assam-Nagaland border where owner of the house Rabi Gogoi managed to escape. On the other hand, thousands of vehicles have been remaining standred on the national highway leading to Nagaland due to indefinite economic bandh against the state.

Efforts on to stop mass exodus

Police steps up efforts to stop exodus of Assamese people from Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Tamil Nadu. Talking to Assam Times, top police officials said that it would be ensured that those who returned to the north east in panic from other parts of the country go back.

K’taka Dy CM ready to visit Assam

Karnataka deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka is set to visit north eastern states very soon to invite the people who left the state at the height of mass exodus. Ashoka said that there was no violence in the state and that the North-East people who fled the city for their home-towns following rumours of attacks should return. He said that the tight security cover deployed in the city, including deployment of Rapid Action Force, would continue for another week. He said that the leaders of Nagaland and Manipur have already invited me. If Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi invites him, he would be visiting that state very soon.