Nine-day festival at UNESCO-listed Manas National Park to spotlight tourism, indigenous traditions, and wildlife conservation
Baksa: The third edition of the ‘Manas Festival’ is set to return to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Manas National Park, scheduled to begin on January 23 up to January 31, offering a nine-day celebration of culture, tourism and conservation. The festival will be hosted at the Bansbari Range entry gate, in order to draw visitors, including domestic as well as international tourists, while developing strong awareness on conservation and heritage, including cultural.
The festival is a combined effort of the Manas Ever Welfare Society (MEWS), Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society (MMES), Green Manas, Manas Bondhu, along with the regional student union and local organisations, tourism bodies, hotel associations, and nearby village communities. The preparations are in full swing following the ceremonial laying of the foundation pillar on January 13.
According to Manah Festicval Celebration Committee president Subhash Tirkey, the festival seeks to create a balance in boosting tourism along with forest and wildlife conservation, besides ethnic food, culture and traditions and tea tourism. The event has delivered encouraging outcomes on tourism over the past two years, motivating organisers to increase its scale and offerings this year.
The festival will present the cultural diversity of almost ten ethnic groups residing in and around Manas, like the Bodo, Tea Tribes, Adivasi, Koch Rajbongshi, Nath-Yogi, Gorkha, and the Sutradhaar communities. Model villages will be built with traditional houses, and stalls will be there with local foods, handloom, and handicrafts, with special focus on environment-friendly agri-technology.
One of the major attractions would be the presence of the neighbouring country, Bhutan, symbolising the 1,057 sq km international boundary of the Manas National Park with the country. There would be art, culture, cuisine, and musical performances of the country of Bhutan.
Adding on to the cultural attraction, Zubeen Garg Park will be inaugurated to commemorate Assam’s beloved Zubeen Garg, along with the ‘Zubeen Xondhya,’ a cultural evening named after him. Over 20 artistes shall perform daily folk music and dance sessions.
With local fervour gaining momentum and national attention pouring in, Manas Festival plans to mark its recognition as a major event promoting Manas’s fauna, people, and living heritage.
Also Read: Assam Government Launches Jibon Prerana Scheme to Support Youth
