Skip to content Skip to navigation

Assam2008 held in USA

The NRI Assamese get together, Assam2008 of North America was held again this year on the 4th of July weekend. This annual event is part of an on-going effort to bring together the scattered Assamese community in North America for a celebration of Assamese heritage and culture. As always there is good fellowship, fun filled activities, cultural programs, special workshops, special presentations and of course lot of good food - catered and home baked. It was a 3 day event. The 1st day, July 3rd started with reception, registration, and then a group dinner at very nice restaurant where people can chat & socialize. The evening would have ended with dance to DJ Music. However, due to some family tragedy in one of the families this event was cancelled for the night. July 4th & 5th were filled many activities including options for families to go site seeing tour of nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park and Long Wood Botanical Garden during morning and early after noon.

Our guest artist for the event was well known Ms. Tarali Sarma, the only Assamese National Film Award winner for Best Female Playback Singer for the film Akashi Torar Kothare in 2004. She is a regular performing artist of All India Radio & Dooradarshan. She is a singer, composer, director, & philanthropist. Tarali not only performed on both days, but she also participated with our local talented artist Sankumani Sarma in a duet and played the harmonium in another song. She simply got everyone involved in singing and dancing on both days. Everyone had a blast having a good time and enjoyed her down to earth personality. We wish the best to Ms. Tarali Sarma and her family. Folks also bought Tarali’s latest CD like a hot cake.

In addition to our guest artist there were plenty other very talented artists who performed many different cultural items from flute recital, karate, Satriya dance, Assamese modern dance, Bihu dances, Husori, Hindi songs, Gazals, of course lot of Assamese songs, Bihu songs, Boro dances, too many to mention here. Thanks to all the talented local artists, without their support and participation we could not hold these events . The cultural show on 4th was started with a chorus specially composed for the event. Thanks go to Mrs. Anuja Bala Devi of Guwahati for composing. Music was given by her son Mr. Sankumani Sarma. Thank you Sankumani!

Some of the other highlights of the event was a workshop on CPR & Heimlich Maneuver, something everyone should know. Thanks to Dr. Nirode Das for this work shop where many got hands on training. FASS, Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters, USA representative Mr. Rajen Barua gave a very informative presentation on FASS and on the myriads of much needed projects the group is working on. He also showed the 1st ever Assamese audio-video show of a folk tale for children by Ankur Bora. And last but not least released "Learn Assamese with Flash Card", which sold like hot cakes.

By Dhruba Das, Pennsylvania, USA

Comments

Utpal Kumar Sharma's picture

Hi everybody there in US. Myself is Sankumani's elder brother from Guwahati. I was very happy to see the good works done by u people in US for Assamese culture and heritage.

Pages

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

ATPA contributes Rs.5 lakh to CM’s relief fund

19 Oct 2011 - 1:29pm | Ritupallab Saikia
An eight member delegation of Assam Tea Planters’ Association (ATPA), an apex body of indigenous tea planters of Assam, led by its Chairman A.R. Kasera, donated a sum of Rs. 5,00,000.00 (Rupees...

Cricket Schedule India -June to Aug

25 Jun 2007 - 6:38am | editor
1) Three Match One day series starting on Tuesday (27th of June 2007). 2) One-off one-day match against Pakistan July 3. 3) A full tour of England where India will take on the hosts...

Meghalaya registers cheating cases against Assam sports officials

5 Aug 2010 - 1:38pm | editor
Meghalaya police have registered a cheating case against two Assam sports officials charging them with impersonating as members of Meghalaya Hockey Association a day before Hockey India elections...

UDLF militant killed in Karimganj

14 Oct 2012 - 4:22am | editor
Army killed an United Democratic Liberation Front militant caught another in Karimganj district on Saturday. Acting on a tip off, army conducted an operation near Munaphichherra area in the...

Other Contents by Author

The Centre on Monday doles out a Rs 500 crore special package for mitigate the misery of the flood-ravaged Assam. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the package after he made an aerial survey in the worst-hit areas with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday. Dr Singh also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the next of the kin of each of the 77 people who met watery grave. He said the the primary focus would be on rescuing people who have been left marooned in flood-hit areas and providing relief to them. The Prime Minister said that immediate steps would be taken by the Railways Ministry to restore the stretch of damaged rail lines which has cut off links to Barak Valley,...
Forest personnel guarding the Kaziranga National Park have found one horn rhino carcass in Karbi Anglong district on Monday. The rhino was believed to have poached when it was found missing. According to KNP officials, the rhino came out of the park territory searching for food and the poachers took the advantage. But according to preliminary investigation, the rhino was killed at least two days back.
Miss Priyanka Bawri from Meghalaya was crowned 3rd Miss India North-East, an annual event of Zest Events, on 30th June at Pragjyotsh ITA Cultural Complex, Guwahati. Followed by Miss Ananya Parashar from Assam who bagged 1st runner up and Miss Swati Jaiswal from Assam adjudged 2nd runner up.There were total of 21 contastant from Northeast region. The First Round saw the contestants in Traditional Costumes by Designer Manimala Mahanta Ahmed. The second round was Casual Wear by Designer Anindita Hazarika. The third round was Formal Gowns by Designers Payal Ohsan Goswami...
Prime minister Monmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are on a hurricane visit to Assam to take stock of the flood fury that claimed over 30 people during this month. Accompanied by chief minister Tarun Gogoi and PWD minister Ajanta Neog, Dr Singh and Gandhi, made an aerial survey from a chopper in Majuli, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Kaziranga. After a brief halt, the duo left for Guwahati to assess the situation in lower Assam. The are expected to announce a special package for post-flood situation at a press conference in Guwahati before wrapping up the visit.
The mob attack on Rumi Nath brewed an orgy of violent in Barak valley on Sunday where at least 10 people have been injured. Police resorted to lathicharge when supporters of the MLA enforced a 12 hour bandh in the Barak valley. Tension is simmering in Barak Valley over the assault of the MLA and her second husband Jacky Zakir as violence was reported from several areas. Five persons suspected to have been involved in the attack on the woman MLA have been arrested from in Karimganj. Bandh supporters in large number pelted stones and damaged two buses of the Assam State Transport Corporation in Karimganj. Eight minority organisations, including Ahl-e-Sunnat, called for a 12-hour bandh in...
KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi on Sunday dared Chief Minister to disclose the details of his USA trip. Gogoi claimed that the Chief Minister’s foreign trip was purely a personel. Addressing a press conference on Sunday he lambasted Tarun Gogoi alleging that the chief minister was downplaying the woes of the flood-hit people. He alleged that the flood-hit people had been provided with old medicines in many relief camps.
Asom Gana Parishad on Sunday demands a special package of Rs30,000 crore for flood relief in the state. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, party spokesman Durga Das Boro flayed the government over its negligence in providing relief to the flood victims. The party further demanded that flood and erosion should be declared a national problem. Boro said that Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi should take steps to provide the latest flood-mitigation technology to the state instead of stock-taking visit.
Marooned Assam is ready to receive Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the absence of the chief miister. The water levels of the major rivers have shown receding trend on Sunday but the people are yet to get out of the blues. The death toll has gone up to 61 while nearly two million people are affected. Many died of landslides in the past few days while about 2000 villages are affected spared across a large number of districts. The Army said on Sunday it is assisting in Flood Relief Operations in all affected areas of the two states. Reacting swiftly, Army has deployed 122 teams in flood affected areas for rescue and relief operations in Sonitpur, Kamrup...
Two mild earthquakes jolted Assam and its neighbouring states on Sunday creating panic among the people in the time of flood. There was no report of any loss of life or damage in Assam. But the nic-striken people ran out of their high rise buildings in Guwahati to get rid of a catastrophe. According to the India Meteorological Department, an earthquake of 4.8 magnitude on the Richter Scale took place at 1.13 am with its epicentre located at 28.7 degree north latitude and 96.2 degree east longitude in the Arunachal Pradesh-Xizang border region. The second earthquake took place at 9.43 am measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale with its epicentre located at 25.7 degree north latitude and 94.6...
Karimganj police have arrested five people for allegedly attacking Congress MLA Rumi Nath and her second husband Jaki Jakir on Friday midnight. They were picked up on Saturday night from five different places in the Barak Valley district. Nath has filed an FIR with the police alleging that a mob had attacked her on political motivation. Further investigations are on.