Guwahati: It is truly said that the festival of joy, Rongali Bihu, is a feeling that no Assamese can miss. However, given the dire circumstances arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrations have been muted this time around.
However, not all is lost yet as an NGO ‘Arth – Art for Humanity’ endeavours to bring home the festival of joy through ‘#BihuSocial’ for the first time on Instagram from April 14- 16 with physical distancing still in play amid the deadly pandemic.
The event will be hosted live from the Instagram pages of @arth_art_for_humanity and artistes such as Tanvi Sharma, Mridusmita Das Bora, Deeplina Deka, Vreegu Kashyap, Abhishruti Bezbaruah, Ritrisha Sarmah, Montu Moni Saikia, Annanyya Kashyap, Sukanya Boruah, Nilakshi Neog, Dipakshi Kalita, Pranjal Prantic, Naaz Sultana, Dr Prashanna Gogoi, Panjit Changmai, Pahi Borthakur, Krishna Buragohain, Neelim Mahanta, Pallab Baruah, Debojyoti Das Gupta and Tanwita Bharadwaj.
The artistes will also host various performances on their Instagram handles and make IGTV videos for the the NGO’s Instagram page. This event will have quintessential elements of Bihu like Bihu Geet, Bihu Naas, Dhol-Pepa Badan, Bihu Kunwori and songs by popular artistes.
The unique initiative is a necessary escape from the panic and pandemonium that the virus has been causing. On a day when Assamese people from the state and outside usually celebrate this festival with great pomp and show, it is now taking a different visage altogether. The day of meeting friends and family members and sharing the Bihu delicacies of pithas and larus is now totally stagnant due to physical isolation, which seems to be the only escape from the virus.
Various agencies and associates like Storyweavers and Artist Association have showcased their support for the unique endeavour.
Arth: Art for Humanity, co-founded in January 2018 by Rittyz Kashyap & Irfan Khan, has been continuously working for the greater good of the masses using art as a tool.
