Despite all criticism, Namami Brahmaputra is a victory for the mighty river. Even incessant rain failed to dampen the spirit of celebrating India’s biggest river festival. And finally we Discover Brahmaputra, it is not just a river that inspired Assam valley with overwhelming response. It is unseen and unheard of in any festival of Assam.
Inaugurating the festival President Mukherjee praised for its immense potential to become an economic hub of SE Asia. Spiritual guru Dalai Lama graced the occasion with high hope of this land and its people. In the platinum jubilee celebration of Assam Tribune, his autography ‘My Land My People’ also published in Assamese is unique and ground braking tales of struggle of Tibetan people. He feels a deep connection to Brahmaputra since it originated from his homeland Tibet.
Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river crossing China, India and Bangladesh. It has enormous resource of potentiality and prosperity. Then British came here through this river for searching opportunities. Assam was 5th most prosperous state at the time of independence. Dr Bhupen Hazarika reminded us the glorious history of this intrinsic river and its economic and socio- cultural aspects of Assam for centuries and emphasise Sattras, monastery like institution of the Vaishanvite culture to be placed to the world. Bhutanese PM delivered a memorable speech stating every Bhutanese owe to Assam’s raw silk and ‘Bhurtal’ which are symbol in every household and temple in Bhutan. He professed in the fields of bio-diversity and other aspects of trade to forward the common interests of Assam and Bhutan.
Can Assam be an important destination for India’s investment and trade? Neighbouring Myanmar that shares four of the NE states is India’s gateway towards South East Asia that holds the key to Act East policy. The connectivity through Myanmar to Thailand and Vietnam could access landlocked NE States to the Bay of Bengal. There are concerns over Chinese involvement with insurgent groups of NE at Yunnan-Myanmar border. After years of bonhomie during military rule, now the situation has changed. India should undertake in the field of development of infrastructure in North East as well as Myanmar too. Also economically vibrant India is unaware to take advantage to assertive China for shared Buddhist heritage by facilitating pilgrimage. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev in his concluding function, also committed for industrial development of Assam.
The theme issue of the festival is to take the river for development for trade, tourism and culture. British succeeded dredging to maintain the navigation channel from Sadiya to Dhuburi. After devastating earthquake in 1950, the entire bed of the Brahmaputra raised and the regular flow of the river disrupted so did inland waterway communication. Centre is now planning of dredging out the silt and to build 1300 KM stretch Brahmaputra Express highway on both banks of the river by using the excavated silt. Hope this will change the entire economic corridor of Assam as national waterways will have direct access to Chittagong port of Bangladesh via Haldia port of WB. Also the state govt asked to identify a place for a river port. Some feel that dredging is difficult and non viable for this mighty river. The tributaries of Brahmaputra carry loads of silt during flood every year. It is even advised people to live with water and our agricultural crop pattern should adopt and mitigate with excess water.
The land of red river and blue hills is full of curiosity for many outsiders. Assam treasures for its true nature and endangered wildlife. Besides geographical and ecological diversity, north east is traveller’s lonely planet for its scintillating beauty, wildlife and contrast of rich heritage and culture. There is huge potential to attract tourist to this unexplored world. Assam can become a tourism hub so does geographically inter linked to other neighbouring states. Beyond Assam, North East has wild destinations to witness three sixty degree happiness. With the help of technology outsiders can easily Google us from a distance and boost it to make it happen for safaried visitors.
This festival brought beautiful beginning of paying obeisance to the river and nature. The ongoing campaign by this festival signifies excellent start to add momentum to promote and showcase Assam around the world. There is a correlation between the strategic connectivity of the North East and its tourism potential. North East needs conversion of state roads into national highways. This festival will surely treasure an ease path to international travellers to make it a must visit destination in the future. With positive thinking and peoples’ participation can place Assam towards the road of development. The new roadmap of Assam make visitors’ friendly once they reach in this land. Surely it promises to be a hot-spot destination in future. The five day gala fanfare is an amazing unforgettable experience for the entire Brahmaputra valley.
