Beauty in the Macabre

Special customs of the Bodo death rites

The Bodos belong to the great Mongoloid stock of man. According to history, the Bodos were permanent inhabitants of Mongolia but in the course of time, their forefathers left their original abode group by group for other parts of the world in search of more fertile land and they finally settled permanently all over the northeastern region of India primarily in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and the northern parts of Bihar and West Bengal.

Against the tides

As the mighty and turbulent Brahmaputra – also the lone male river in the country – continues to swallow huge patches of land due to erosion at various points in the cash rich Upper Assam district of Dibrugarh, all that the conscious citizens here are asking is the reason for Dibrugarh becoming so vulnerable to erosion today. What is the status of erosion? Will the town remain safe? Who is to blame for the pathetic and awful condition of the town today?

Well to start with we need to go back some decades and unearth the history of erosion which had claimed almost half of this Upper Assam town.

Erosion in Dibrugarh started mainly after the great earthquake of August 15, 1950, which left many parts of the state devastated. As the riverbed rose quite significantly due to the earthquake, many parts of the historic Dibrugarh town became victims of heavy erosion.

Biggest statue of Jesus unveiled.

Asia’s biggest statue of Jesus Christ was recently unveiled along with the opening of the first Cathedral on top of a picturesque hill in Miao in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The newly erected two storeyed Cathedral was inaugurated and blessed by Cardinal Telesphore P Toppo during a dedication ceremony. He was accompanied by Arch Bishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, Arch Bishop Domnic Jala of Shillong, Bishop Joseph Aind of Dibrugarh, local Bishop P K George, Bishop Victor Lyngdoh of Noigstoin, Meghalaya. About twelve thousand people from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh, besides Christians from the neighbouring states thronged to take part in the opening ceremony of the Cathedral.
The biggest statue of Jesus Christ in Asia, as claimed by the local Bishop P K George was unveiled by State’s Finance Minister Setong Sena. The white coloured mighty statue made in Kolkata with fiber is over 12 meters in height.
A cultural programme, a colourful procession and community feasting were also part of the programme.

Aoleang festival of the Konyak tribe

Aoleang is the most significant festival of the Konyaks of Nagaland. It has been celebrated in the first week of April every year till date since time immemorial. It is observed after the completion of the sowing of seeds in the new fields. Aoleang celebration also marks the end of the previous year and welcomes the beginning of the new year and the spring season. The festival is a time to ask Almighty God for a bountiful harvest in the current year. It is celebrated with much pomp and fervour and grand festivity with each day having its own significance, customary rituals and merry making. It is a festival of sharing and forging ahead with renewed vigor into the coming year.