HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Nov 19: Guwahati based artist Nuruddin Ahmed is in the process of recreating an Assamese village in the national capital.
The veteran artist has been hired by the state government to build an Assamese village on the lawns of Vigyan Bhawan, the venue of the three-day event marking the 400th birth anniversary of the great warrior, Ahom General Lachit Borphukan.
Under his direction, 25 to 26 co-workers are busy at work to recreate an Assamese village with a rural backdrop from Friday. The three-day event in the national capital kickstarts from November 23.
The village spread out in an area of 55 metre in length and 14 metre in breadth will have a life-size namghar, Assam type house, chang ghar (bamboo stilt house) representing the Mising and Dimasa communities, tea tribe community, portrayal of soklong (traditional Ahom marriage), and erecting a maidam (burial mound). “Raw materials are being procured locally while items like the sarai, japi and bamboo products are being brought from Assam,” added Ahmed.
Recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and President’s Award, Ahmed who has been in the trade of designing for more than four decades, also does costume designing for films and theatre in Assam. “With extraordinary creativity in the trade of designing, Nuruddin Ahmed has set high benchmarks in the field and made the state proud,” said a member of the venue management and decoration committee.
Born in North Lakhimpur district of Assam, Ahmed made the first Durga idol in 1975 and has since created over 1,000 such idols so far and designed many puja pandals in Assam.
His 98-feet Durga Idol made of bamboo during the 2017 Durga Puja at the Bishnupur Sarbojanin Puja Committee pandal in Guwahati, has been enlisted in the Limca Book of Records as the tallest Durga idol. His 74 feet in length and 55 feet in height – model of Lord Ganesha as theme of the Puja pandal earned him accolades.
Besides, he has done most of the works in Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, a hub of cultural heritage of Assam including its main gate and Bhupen Hazarika Museum.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will inaugurate an exhibition showcasing artefacts from the Ahom era on November 23. A total of 120 numbers of artefacts in three-layered packs are being airlifted from the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.
The artefacts belonging to the Directorate of Museums, Directorate of Archaeology and Directorate of Historical and Antiquarian Studies, weigh around 232 kgs and are being airlifted to Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan for display on all three days.
These artefacts of great historical significance, including rock inscriptions of the Ahom era that lasted for 600 years will be kept in a strong room under tight security after their arrival from Guwahati.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed the officials assigned for looking after the artefacts to take every care so that no harm is caused and to transport them back safely once the programme is over.
At the direction of the chief minister, the traditional Assamese gamocha stacked on bamboo sticks will adorn the path leading to the main entrance of Vigyan Bhawan.
Union home minister Amit Shah will attend the plenary session as chief guest on November 24 while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will grace the valedictory function at Plenary Hall at Vigyan Bhawan at 10 am on November 25.
A documentary will be screened on the great warrior who crushed the Mughals in the historic Battle of Saraighat near Guwahati.
On November 23, Union minister for Law and Justice, Kiren Rijiju will inaugurate a cultural evening at Sunder Nursery, City Park, Nizamuddin.
There will be two panel discussions shedding light on the life and times of the valiant warrior, Lachit Borphukan. In the panel discussion to be held on November 23 on the topic, “The Ahom Saga of Hope, Skills and Courage” to be moderated by former chief secretary, Assam, Jishnu Barua; the panellists include state information commissioner, Assam, Dr Samudra Gupta Kashyap, former DG, Assam, UP and BSF, Prakash Singh, Dr Chandan Kumar Sharma, Department of History, Dibrugarh University, Prof Kapil Kapur, Pro VC, JNU and Kuldeep Patowary, academician.
In the panel discussion on November 24, on the topic, “Ignored Historiography of Assam’s Assertion”, Prof Rajib Handique, Department of History, Gauhati University, Dr Sangeeta Gogoi, Department of History, Mangaldai College, Chandraprakash Dwivedi, actor and filmmaker, Vikram Sampat, eminent author and Rajesh Kumar Singh, film maker and critic will take part. The panel discussion will be moderated by Prof Nani Gopal Mahanta, adviser, Education, Government of Assam.
It is a virtual who’s who list of eminent personalities, academicians, historians, artists, satradhikars, Cabinet Ministers, MoS, MPs from North East, MLAs, party functionaries, IAS, IPS, IFS officers of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, past and present, Vice Chancellors and sportspersons taking part in the three-day event. More than 200 students with History background are coming from Assam to join in the celebrations.
Apex and core executive committees together with various sub committees have been constituted for smooth conduct of the prestigious event in the national capital, with chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma personally overseeing every minute detail to make the programme aimed at glorifying the heroic feats of the legendary warrior, nationally and globally.
