HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Feb 6: An open-air drama festival was held at the foot of the Naga Hills at Mariani in Titabar co-district district of Jorhat district recently to foster harmony and camaraderie between people of two states – Assam and Nagaland.
The festival titled ‘3rd Foothills National Drama Festival 2025’’ was organised from January 27 to 29 at ‘Hamaj Hitoshi Deben Duwarah Hammanay Kshetra’ under the banner of ‘Padodeshiyo Samanay Mancha’ (Foothills Coordination Forum) in collaboration with the North East Indigenous People’s Forum at Bhavanipur Kasojan Gaon, Bahani.
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The event drew drama enthusiasts from both the states.
The organising committee with Manuj Kumar Borgohain as president and J Zekiho Achumi, as working president, included members from villages of both states.
Borgohain informed that altogether 10 drama groups including two from Nagaland, one from Tripura and the rest from Assam participated in the event that included the famous play ‘Charandas Chor’ by eminent dramatist late Habib Tanbir, which was staged by BAA (Cultural organisation) Guwahati.
Other dramas were: ‘Marphat Bakul Tal’ by Deuka Natya Bidyalaya (Golaghat), ‘Rongamua Bir’ (based on a historical warrior character of the Ahom dynasty) by Gibon Kushilava Natya Gosthi Nakachari,
‘The Reborn’ by Zoe Theatre Art Association, Nagaland, ‘Prithibir Akhukh’ by MRS (Titabar) ‘Da Patharor Katha’ by Bishnujyoti Moina Parijat, ‘Bhasan’ by Natya Sansad, Tripura, ‘Devabratar Atmokatha’ by Ragini Creation, Jorhat, ‘Sungra’ (The Roots) by SO-LI-SU Theatre, Nagaland, and ‘Swarna Mahal’ by Kalyani Theatre’.
The festival was inaugurated by Khehoto Kiho Swu, advisor of Nagaland Indigenous People’s Forum, followed by a flag-hosting ceremony by Foothills Coordination Forum president Binoy Saikia. The Bina Borah Memorial Stage was inaugurated by Anup Chetia, chairman of the Northeast Indigenous People’s Forum.
A 45-member dance troupe performed a war dance of the Sumi Naga tribe at the inaugural ceremony. A souvenir titled ‘Sanglap’ was released.
A Sumi War dance group comprising 45 warriors, was the inaugural dance. The war dance was a highlight and entertained the spectators gathered at the event. A souvenir titled ‘ Sanglap’ was released on the second day.
Borgohain further said that people of the Akahuto village (Wokha district), in the neighbouring state of Nagaland, right across the venue of the drama fest, actively participated by setting up the stage below the hillock along with making bamboo benches for audiences and cleaning up the area in the picturesque landscape. He stated that Mancha was formed in 2021 with members from villages from border areas of both the states, with an aim to strengthen the age-old friendly relations between villages of Assam and Nagaland along the inter-State boundary with the motto of unity and prosperity.
