Assam is making a major push to break the world record for the largest performance of Bihu at the Rongali Bihu celebrations next month by holding workshops in all 31 of its districts.
About 11,000 folk dancers and musicians will congregate at Guwahati’s Sarusajai Stadium for an hour-long performance on April 14, when Bohag or Rongali Bihu celebrations start.
In addition to the concert itself, preparations are being made to provide suitable lodging options for the artists who will congregate in Guwahati from all around Assam.
The Assam government organised the event at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s request, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to attend. The chief ministers and governors of each state will also be invited.
We’re gearing up to host the largest Bihu show on April 14 at Sarusajai Sports Complex where 11,000 dancers will perform to create a new Guinness World Record before Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji.
We will invite all Governors, CMs and diplomats of G20 & ASEAN countries. pic.twitter.com/fqYYf84SFY
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 28, 2023
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Dispur, Sarma stated that the state has been given “preliminary approval” for further inspection and that a video of Bihu dancers dancing at the stadium has been submitted to the Guinness World Records authorities as part of the application process.
“We aim to make Bihu more well-known and bring it to a global audience.” 11,140 dancers in all, including “Bihuwa” and “Bihuwati” (Assamese men and women dressed in traditional Muga clothing to perform Bihu), will take part in the record attempt, Sarma continued.
The chief minister said that “master trainers” of Bihu are currently meeting at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati for a workshop. This is part of the preparations for the big event.
After the dress rehearsal on Wednesday, the experts will hold workshops for Bihu dancers and folk musicians in the area. On April 8, the workshops will come to an end.
In each district, there will be a team of about 50 master trainers or Bihu dancers who will teach them.15- to 35-year-old performers will attend these sessions.
The participants will gather in Guwahati after training is over on April 8 for a dress rehearsal that runs from April 9 to April 12. A day of rest follows.
The ratio of male to female performers will be 70:30. In addition to other districts in the Brahmaputra Valley, up to 1,400 performers will come from Dibrugarh, 1,000 from Golaghat, 1,100 from Sonitpur, and 800 each from Sivasagar and Jorhat. The Barak Valley’s Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi districts will each send a group of 20 participants. There are eight hundred competitors from the Guwahati-based Kamrup Metro district.
Each dancer and musician will be given Rs. 10,500 as a symbol of appreciation for their contribution, beginning with the training and rehearsal period and continuing until the performance day. Each performer will receive Rs. 300 for travel costs during the workshop. For food, separate plans will be established, according to the chief minister.
Each dancer would receive Rs 3,000 to assist them in arranging their traditional attire in accordance with the government’s dress rules. When they arrive in Guwahati, they will each receive Rs 1,000 as part of their daily expenses.
If Guinness World Records recognises the accomplishment, the state government will put each participant’s name on a website so they can get certificates of achievement.