Over 11000 will dance bihu to pages of Guinness Book on April 14 under global glare

Guwahati, Feb 28: In tune with its aspiration to make traditional Bihu Festival in Assam a global tourist attraction, Assam government is preparing to organize a first of its kind ‘mega bihu dance festival’ with over 11,000 bihu dancers, drum beaters, flutists etc., performing simultaneously in unison on April 14 next at Sarusajai Athletics Stadium in the city in presence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today informed that the mega bihu dance event which will be coordinated by the state Cultural Affairs Department under the guidance of a select group of experts on bihu dance and folklore from the state, is aimed at creating a world record of ‘largest bihu dance in a single venue’ that is expected to enter the haloed pages of Guinness Book of Records.

In fact, 11,140 artistes will be selected to perform in the mega bihu dance event and 70 per cent of them will be female artistes mostly dancers and 30 per cent will be male artistes. The chief minister informed that bihu dancers will be selected from all the districts of the state and they will be in the age group of 15-35 years.

“The mega bihu dance performance will be held for a maximum one hour on April 14 at a time convenient for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stand witness to this historic moment. It will hold in presence both national and international media and will be beamed globally,” said the chief minister.

Ambassadors of G20 countries and South East Asian countries, Governors and chief ministers of all the states of India union will be invited to grace the event.  The Assam government has deputed its cabinet ministers to go to different states personally and invite the chief ministers and governors.

Already training of 400 master bihu dance trainers have started as per the video of bihu dance approved by the expert committee on bihu dance. These master trainers will be sent to different districts to select and train participants from village level.

Deputy commissioners and local MLAs have been entrusted with the responsibility to select participants for the mega event from various districts. 
Fifty training camps will be conducted for participants by master trainers during March 1 to 27 and every day each of the trainees will be provided Rs 300 per day as conveyance allowance and free food. They will be provided Rs 3000 as dress allowance. The participants will have to undertake dress rehearsal during April 9 to 12 at the main venue of the event here. They will be rested on April 13 before the main performance on April 14. Each of them will be given an allowance Rs 1000 per day during the dress rehearsal besides free food while their accommodation in Guwahati will be looked after by the Kamrup Metropolitan District administration.

The chief minister said that the mega dance event will in no way disrupt bihu celebrations in the state which begins on April 15.