By IANS,
New Delhi : Listen to some soulful melodies from the hills of Meghalaya, enjoy the graceful ‘Bihu’ dance of Assam, stuff your shopping bags with wares from the northeast, and titillate your taste buds with delicacies of the region. In short, get set to feel the northeastern spirit right here from Saturday on.
‘Purvottari’, as the festival is called, is a first-time initiative of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to bring the beauty of the faraway northeastern region right to the heart of the capital.
The Jan 10-18 festival will showcase the culture, dance, music, handicrafts and food of all the eight states of the region – Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura – besides presenting documentaries on the region and holding seminars.
Kailash K. Mishra, coordinator of the Northeastern projects at IGNCA, told IANS: “We have had such festivals in almost all the states of the northeast. But since we don’t want to confine the beauty and richness of the region, we decided to hold such a festival in Delhi.”
“If a success, we will take the festival to other metros of the country, like Mumbai and Bangalore, and if that works out well, we will take it abroad,” he added.
Among the programmes on schedule is a multi-media presentation of the manuscripts of the northeast, an exhibition of books and screening of films on the region, showcasing northeast artefacts and dance and music programmes – all under the shade of a beautifully carved bamboo house.
“There will also be a food festival. So if one wants to titillate one’s senses with the delectable northeastern cuisine, then you are most welcome,” Mishra said.