Boko, January 21: 500 Bodo girls performed traditional Bagrumba dances as part of the opening ceremonies of the 63rd Annual Conference of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha at Boko Gandhi Maidan Samannya Kshetra in Boko on Saturday.
Poets from Bodo, Assamese, Garo, Hajong, Rabha, Missing, Nepali, Bengali, English, Hindi, Karbi, Dimasa, Miching, and Tiwa were among those who attended the conference.
On the first day, dignitaries and invited guests officially opened eleven subcommittees, including those in charge of temporary offices, the main entrance, the main stage, the exhibition, and the book fair entrances.
About 2,000 delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and other regions of India, notably Assam and the northeast, were present. An estimated 30,000 to 50,000 individuals were expected to attend the conference each day, according to Nagarmal Swargiary, Executive President of the welcoming committee.
The multilingual poet’s conference, presided over by Professor Dr. Anil Boro, Head of the Department of Folk Arts at Guwahati University, took place on the first day.
The conference venue showcased the traditional lifestyle of a Bodo family, featuring exhibits such as bamboo and clay houses, Batho Puja celebrations, traditional pig pens, handloom, and paddy barns.
Hemanta Boro, a member of the organizing committee, highlighted various traditional Bodo dances performed by boys, girls, and women, including Dawsedelai, Mwsaglanai, Bagurumba, Bardwi Sikhila, Nagurnai (Fishing Dance), and others.
Bishnu Basumatary, Secretary of the conference, disclosed that the third and final day of the conference would feature Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sharma and BTR Chief Promod Boro as chief guests.
