The Assamese community in Muscat has grown year by year and at present more than 35 families live in Oman. The community has been celebrating the Rongali Bihu for a long time and this year it was celebrated on 8th April with much enthusiasm and fun.
NatyaSangam, an Indian Classical Dance Academy, presented its inaugural dance recital on Saturday, March 14 th, 2009 in Colorado Springs.
Award winning performer, choreographer and scholar Menaka PP Bora has been selected to represent Sattriya dance in a major dance and music exhibition entitled Indian Strings & Dances from 10 April 2009 to 1 August 2009 at the Museum of Croydon in London.
The first time I heard a song sung by Assam Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was in 1948. That song – “Agni jugor firingoti moi…..” captured the hearts of us youngsters so deeply that almost everyone used to either sing, hum or whistle the song all the time. The next year 1949, my oldest brother brought home another Bhupen Hazarika record.
Mike Fincke, a NASA astronaut and a son-in-law of Assam recently danced Bihu on the international space station, the first time ever Bihu has been performed in space. Dr. Fincke is married to Renita, daughter of Rupesh and Probha Saikia of Texas. The Saikias are originaly from Jorhat.
Sometimes when I get a little contemplative, I often feel really glad to have been born an Assamese. I mean, to be born in the heart of Northeast India, a land of beauty and serenity and of course a most secular region of the country. Assam for that matter really has a bounty of natural wealth and splendour. With the Brahmaputra cutting through its green landscape the region is also the most fertile area of the country, with tremendous potential for both agriculture and industry.
Prajnalaya was established by late Jugal Bhuyan, an ex-insurgent. After joining the mainstream, Bhuyan established Prajnalaya with a missionary zeal. His devotion was towards securing a refuge for poor and destitute children where they could imbibe the best values and ideals. Today, Jugal Bhuyan is no more but his dream fulfilled as Non Resident Indians from all over the globe have come forward to support his effort. Please find below a report prepared for Asha for education.
(Recollecting a President’s time)
This is a trip down the memory lane about the senior most Assamese couple in Delhi. It’s been 43 years since they have landed here in 1966.
Pragjyotishpur - the ancient capital of the mythical land of Kamrup, built by Narakasura, has been reborn in the Dwarka Sub city of New Delhi as Pragjyotishpur Cooperative Group Housing Society.
An alien city, coping with DTC buses and Dilliwallas, lecherous men, unbearable heat, college life, snooty local class mates, trying out things which you are not supposed to, Chacha’s chole bhature for lunch, evening walks in Gulabi Bagh, taking turns to cook dinner, the horror of fat aunties who don’t bother to cover