The two-day long colourful programme of Artlit Festival celebrating art, literature and culture kicked off on Saturday at Kokrajhar Music & Fine Arts College in BTC of Assam.
The Bodoland ArtLit festival is organised with a purpose to provide a platform for writers, artists, intellectuals, scholars, activists and people in general to engage in stimulating process for a prosperous and peaceful future of Bodoland.
The two days festival is being organized by National Institute of Bodology (NIB), Kokrajhar, National Foundation for India (NFI) New Delhi and Nerswn NGO with generous support from Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan.
Rajya Sabha MP and Sahitya Academy awardee Urkhao Gwra Brahma inaugurated the festival which was chaired by the Dr Dimacha Dwibrang Mwchahary.
Prof Udayon Misra gave the ketnote address. Sahitya Academy awardee and former Bodo Sahitya Sabha president Brajendra Kummar Brahma, All Bodo Students Union president Pramod Boro, Dr Monica Banerjee, Yui Nakamura and others were present on the inaugural function.
A discussion on medium of art and culture for social change was held which was chaired by Dr Anil Boro. Dr Janak Jhankar Narzary, Dr Jayanta Vishnu and Pritviraj Basumatary were the panelists.
A poem recitation programme was also held where many reputed poets from various languages like Bodo, Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Santali, etc participated and recited self written poems.
The organizers of Bodoland Artlit Festival said that the seasonal festivals may just signify celebration and sense of belongingness, however , when it happens to be festival of art and literature then it includes performance, sharing, caring and planning.
The main purpose of the festival is to provide a platform for writers, artists, intellectuals, scholars, activists and people in general to engage in stimulating processes for a prosperous and peaceful future of Bodoland.