Guwahati: The Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and Chief guest Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of Law and Justice, Government of India, flagged off the Lachit Divas cultural events in the nation’s capital on Wednesday at Sunder Nursery.
A three-day finale will mark the culmination of Lachit Divas celebrations from November 23 to 25 in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the last day’s events.
The legendary Ahom Army General Lachit Borphukan and his accomplishments are being honoured nationally for the first time to mark the leader’s 400th birth anniversary.
He was born on November 24th, 1622, in Charaideo. He is renowned for the Battle of Saraighat victory over the Mughals which put an end to Aurangzeb’s growing ambitions. The monumental occasion is being commemorated concurrently with Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav festival.
The programme began with a traditional Tai Ahom prayer then Mridusmita Das Bora and her crew performed a Sattriya performance on Sita Uddhar, master Ranjit Gogoi showcased a mix of Assamese folk dances and a dramatisation of Lachit Borphukan’s distinguished life followed. The stage was set ablaze by the captivating performance of Assam’s distinctive folk music by well-known Assamese vocalist Papon.
“This cultural evening will be based on patriotism, We will try to project the culture and civilisation of Assam. This whole year we celebrated the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan in Assam. It was launched by former president Ram Nath Kovind in February this year. We have organised an exhibition and brought many valuable items from Guwahati museum, reflecting the glorious history of Assam right from the days of Kumar Bhaskar Varma. We also have many handwritten letters of Lachit Barphukan. Lachit Barphukan was a nationwide figure. His tale of braveries should not be restricted in Assam,” said Himanta Biswa Sharma.
As Kiren Rijiju emphasized, India’s spirit is lacking while we accompany our unsung heroes on this journey of expansion and advancement. It is important to remember and uphold their ethos and principles.
“Lachit Borphukan is considered Assam’s cultural idol after defeating a large army of the Mughal Empire to protect Guwahati in the Saraighat Battle on the banks of the Brahmaputra River in 1671. He was a powerful leader and courageous paragon, who has been the pride and maintained the sovereignty of his homeland. His undying spirit for the country will continue to inspire generations. I feel proud to be a part of this event, which is about celebrating the spirit of Lachit Borphukan,” he added.