Hi, I am Sripng. Yup, you got it and I did na fumble. I never met sumone so far in life who could pronounce ma name correctly. I don’t know what was in ma parents’ mind when they named me such.
The only memory I have about ma parents is the bloody name I have. I was dumped in the church with a note sayin ma name. Church guys thought they may have a hard time callin me, but Father John stuck to the name. He loved me very much. more

It is Holi and (ahem! ) to make matters better it is an extended weekend too. So what do all men do in such a scenario? Well, almost all men at such times – I think, raid the wine shops, not all mind you, but almost all. Just curious , but what exactly do they buy? Of course I know alcohol, what else ! But what? What sells most? I mean, is it more

Air, water, earth -three elements of nature- How naturally they coexist. Each in perfect harmony with the other. If only it would have been this easy among us humans…to coexist…. without complications…without threatening the essence of each other… more

The Vaishnavite Bhauna tradition of Assam has evolved and adapted since its beginnings during the fifteenth century. One of the most written upon folk forms of Assamese culture today, the Bhauna (from the Sanskrit Bhavana meaning “display of/production”) risks being categorised as a homogeneous blanket form, However the differences in the presentation and performance of Bhaonas is subtle and hard to grasp by a layman unless he sees the different types in full action in first person. In one of my rambles among the nooks and corners of Kenduguri ,Jorhat, I got a chance to enjoy a Bhauna in progress at Charingiya Suk, No. 2 Brahmin Gaon. The Bhaona was occasioned by the reinstitution of the Manikut in the Naamghar and was based on the Bhagavata story of Bhakta Prahlad. The bar-sabah (congregation) was already hooked to the riveting tales of the sutradhar(narrator) at the time of our arrival. It took a while adjusting our eyes to the smoke and incense filled ambiance even though the age old gacha (large earthen chandeliers of multiple earthen lamps) and the ariya (torches) were overpowered by new age electric lights. The dialogues were riveting and the boy-actors (especially the ones in female roles or charitas) were both delicate and entertaining in their act. Needless to say, I was soon caught in the magic of the presentation and the innovative techniques used to produce the special effects left me very impressed. I managed to capture some moments of the humor-riddled narrative performed by the natuwas and bhaoriyas (performers), hope you have an enriching experience browsing through the same.

On 10th to 13th of this month, annual Pre-Bhogali mela was organized in NEDFi Haat, Guwahati. 70 self-help groups of women and NGOs from different parts of Assam set up stalls for selling different delicacies by different tribes. It was a very innovative step by NEDFi. The fair was very well organized and people enjoyed it very well. Bhogali Bihu shoppers from all over Guwahati and nearby areas thronged to NEDFi haat.
The fair not only had stalls selling Bihu delicacies but also a village like environment was created where different people were seen preparing the delicacies. This was very educational for the city kids as well. This was a major attraction of the fair and many people visited to the fair only because of this. As Dilip Dutta says, “I never buy pithas from the market. This is my first time. I came here for some fun and could not resist buying.”
Everything in the mela looked very well planned and the organizers have done a good job. “Bihu Gift Hampers” were a big hit. It is a package which has loskora (coconut laddoo), pitha, gur, til laddoo, malbhuk chira and maakhorai. Apart from the Assamese dishes, Nepali and Bengali delicacies were also seen, of which Seal Pitha and Akhoi Laddoo were the most popular.
As the melodious strains of Bihu songs fill the air, one can sit down and have a plate of sizzling hot tekeli pitha and a laddoo made from coconut and gur (jaggery) with a refreshing cup of tea.
On an overall, the fair was a major success with sales over 20 lakh and a very good customer experience. Each year, the fair is getting better and better and we hope to see more and more innovations in the forthcoming years.
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