Skip to content Skip to navigation

Indo-Bhutan friendship fair gets underway

KOKRAJHAR: The 10th Indo-Bhutan Friendship Fair and 68th Subankhata Maghw Mela has began from Friday with eight day long programme at Subankhata along the India-Bhutan border border in Assam's Baksa district.

This is a fair saw visitors both India and Bhutan. The fair is organized in January third week every year to celebrate the bond that India and Bhutan have fostered over the years showcasing the culture and traditions of both the countries.  

The Indo-Bhutan friendship fair has been organized to boost bilateral relations between India and Bhutan as a part of confidence building measures at Subankhata along the Indo-Bhutan border in Assam’s Baksa district since ten years. The citizens of greater Subankhata area, extremely northern  part along the Bhutan border in Baksa district of Assam has been organizing Maghw Fair since six decades where citizens from both India and Bhutan countries thronged the fair every year and taste peace and unity among society in the region. The fair, has a special significance used to be the place where Bhutanese merchants from Pemagatshel and Samdropjongkhar would go to trade mandarin,ginger, soyabean, and potatoes, among others.

 Bhutanese merchants used to camp at Subankhata for months and witness the fair and recount the fun and wonders they saw to their friends and family back home. That tradition of Bhutanese going down to Subankhata continued well until 1990s. But security issues along the border changed all that. And with it died the age-old tradition although Magh fair continued to be organised on the other side of the border. Ten years ago, Maghw fair committee and members of Bhutan-India Friendship Association (BIFA) met to revive this old tradition. Bhutanese were encouraged to put up stall to showcase Bhutanese tradition and cultural programmes. And thus Maghw fair became Indo-Bhutan Friendship Fair.  During the fair the cuisine and culture, which are the best ways to build bridges, played an important part in the Indo-Bhutan mela.

Bodoland Territorial Council executive member Bijit Gwra Narzary cut the ribbon to inaugurate the main gate of the fair amidst huge crowd on the inaugural day.Indian army major based at Subankhata Lakeswar Darma inaugurated fair entry gate in the morning.

Deputy commissioner of Baksa Ranjan Sarma and Bhutanese representative and general secretary of BIFA Norbu Wangdi jointly hoisted Indian flag and Bhutanese flag respectively to mark the event integrate.

Stalls serving both Bhutanese and Bodo, Assemesse cuisine were set up for the visitors. Traditional dances during the fair provided a window to the culture and traditions of both the nation. A photo exhibition that showcased cordial relations that have existed between both nations was also held during the fair which was opened by Chapaguri MLA Thaneswar Basumatary.

The fair saw trade fair,showcase of ethnic food items,multi cultural demonstration representing from different communities which is continuing till January 24 next.

General Secretary of Bhutan India Friendship Association(BIFA) Norbu Wangdi said that the fair is bringing deep building of cooperation and understanding in between India and Bhutan.He said that through the fair both countries are gaining good relationship towards building healthy communication.He said that this maghw fair is paving the way friendship and boosting economic gaining amongst both nations.

“We (Bhutanese) are visiting the Indo-Bhutan friendship fair, which has been organizing the fair every year and makes cultural exchanges of the among communities. It is a very good gesture of unite for the common publics in between Bhutan and India. The Bhutanse visits and thronged the fair and taste ethnic food items,besides creating amusement in the region. The fair is a fair to visit along with Bhutansese cultures and dances. There is a good environment and relations among citizens of both Bhutan and India countries as peoples are living on integration. The fair has crossed six years since 2011 and peoples have been maintaining peace and harmony. Organizing this kind of fair will help revive and strengthen relation between the people of the two countries”.

Member of Bodoland Territorial Council(MCLA) and chief patron of the fair committee Phalindra Basumatary told that that the fair has been organising every year to make deep relations and cooperation in between India and Bhutan country.He mentioned that due to security reasons post 2003 Bhutan all-clear operation,the fair could not come into organise and later it has been organising every year during the magh month.He said that it is a festival where all kinds of ethnic food cuisine from both India and Bhutan country are showcased.He has claimed that the fair is getting more attractive with more thronging of visitors.

"The Indo-Bhutan friendship fair at Subankhata, Assam, to celebrate the bond that India and Bhutan, is an outcome of Maghw Fair which has a joint effort of Magh fair committee and Bhutan India Friendship Association( BIFA) members since ten years, but the Magh fair has been organizing since six decades along the Bhutan border at Subankhata. The greater Subankhata are joining the Magh fair where irrespective of caste, creed and languages have been thronged and built healthy and integrated in both countries. This is a fair where citizens from Bhutan, India are thronged and enjoyed their cultural tradition and tastes of ethnic foods during the fair. We have a good relationship in both countries that has been giving heavy participation from Bhutan itself. The Bhutanese eagerly visits this area to sell their agricultural products, but since after 2003 all clear operation Bhutan government had suspended to visit region for hardly ten years. Later, border citizens of both countries resume its relationship from 2011 and make Indo-Bhutan friendship fair, which has this year crossed ten years.The fair has in its significance draws integration of both countries as border citizens whole heartedly enjoyed ethnic cultural exchange of unity. We’ve been successful. People to people contact have increased over the years. It is heartening to see long-lost friends meet again and share their memories. The fair symbolizes much more than friendship between people of two districts of the two countries and that it is important to maintain security along the borders. Organizing such fair is important, especially along the borders as a way to facilitate greater interaction and to help build peaceful environment. The people on either side of the border have been on close terms since ages and expected that fair would further strengthen the ties among the citizens of the two neighboring countries. This is the six year for the fair and helps in cementing the relationship between the two countries by creating cultural ties”, Basumatary said.

Add new comment

Random Stories

Woman SULFA arrested on extortion charges

9 Sep 2011 - 4:51pm | editor
Guwahati police on Monday arrested a lady and charged her with trying to extort money. Identified as Jonali Roy, the surrendered ULFA cadre was arrested when she was on her way to collect the...

Modi on electioneering visit to Tripura

7 Feb 2018 - 11:01am | Prasenjit Saha
AGARTALA: Electioneering gathers momentum in Tripura for the February 18 assembly polls where the main fight is expected to take place between the Left and BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a...

Voting over in Dhemaji by election

9 Apr 2017 - 6:35pm | AT News
Amid a massive security arrangement the polling  in the Dhemaji assembly by election concluded with huge turn out. Of the five candidates, the luckiest would be announced on April 13 afternoon...

Assam, M’laya to talk border dispute by Sp 22

13 Sep 2017 - 5:50pm | AT News
Both Assam and Meghalaya are in a mood to resolve the vexed interstate border dispute with an acceptable formula.The Meghalaya Government has written to its Assam counterpart on Tuesday ...

Other Contents by Author

On Friday, the government of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) observed the third BTR Peace Accord Day as "Day of Peace" on Friday.  A massive bike peace rally was held in Kokrajhar, the "City of Peace." The rally drew thousands of people from various parts of the Kokrajhar district.  Pramod Boro, the CEM of BTR, inaugurated the installation of a 100-foot high mast pole for the Indian national flag in Kokrajhar. On this occasion, the ex-gratia initiative for the families of the Bodoland martyrs was launched. For the first time, 201 families were each given a cheque for Rs. 5 lakh. The event was attended by CEM Pramod Boro, Katiram Boro, Speaker of the BTCLA, MLA Sjt...
Three individuals, including former MLA and senior BPF (Bodoland People's Front) leader Hitesh Basumatary, were arrested by police in Baksa district after a search operation at Basumatary's residential complex resulted in the recovery of a large cache of illegal arms and ammunition. The recovered items included an AK rifle, an M-16 rifle, and 135 rounds of live ammunition. The other two individuals arrested were Daorao Dekhreb Narzary, working president of the Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha and former BPF leader, and Bikram Daimary, a contractor from Udalguri district. The three have been charged with conspiracy to form a new armed organization in the region and have been produced in...
Kokrajhar: A two-day workshop on sustainable agriculture began on Friday. Nearly 100 participants will participate in the workshop being held in Kokrajhar district to impart training on multiple aspects of agriculture and natural farming among the farmers. Director of Veterans and Animal Husbandry of BTR, Dr. Pathik Das, Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of BTR, Pushpadhar Das, retired director of Agriculture and Officer on Special Duty to the CEM (BTR), Manaranjan Das, General Secretary of UPPL, Raju Kumar Narzary, chairperson of KMB, Pratibha Brahma, attended the workshop. The workshop was chaired by Nerkang Kaklary, president of UPPL's Farmer's Cell. The...
The 7th edition of the northeast Butterfly meet was concluded at Raimona National Park in Kokrajhar district on Wednesday.  Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Executive Member for Forest & Environment Ranjit Basumatary inaugurated the event at Kachugaon.   The event was organized by Butterflies of North-Eastern (NE) India group in collaboration with the government of Bodoland Territorial Region against Drugs and Organized Crimes (BTR) and NGOs including ATREE, WWF-India, WTI, Aaranyak, SEED, flutters .org, Ngunu Ziro, BECT, BAMOS, Wiki Love Butterflies. Nearly 100 participants from different states of India including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu etc....
Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) team won the trophy defeating Lai Autonomous Council (LADC) of Mizoram 1-0 in the final match of inter sixth schedule premier league -2022 being held at SAI SAG center,Kathalguri Titaguri in Kokrajhar district. Sonam Basumatary of Bodoland Territorial Region scored the lone goal against Lai Autonomous in 51 minutes of the second half. This led his team to win the tournament 1-0. The Bodoland team won the final match of the ISPL. Lai Autonomous District Council tried to equalise the score by scoring, but failed to score any goal against the Bodoland team. Jwngbla Brahma of Bodoland team was awarded man of the match and man of the player of the ISPL....
Professor Indira Boro, head of the department of Bodo for Bodoland University, has been named for an award from the Sahitya Akademy for translation in Bodo language. Dr. Boro has been named for the translation of her book Hirimba (originally written in Assamese by Jayanti Gogoi) Presently, Boro is the head of the department of Bodo at Bodoland University. She has authored many books in Bodo language and contributed a lot to the uplift and development of Bodo literature. Several literary lovers and Bodo Sahitya Sabha have congratulated her for being named for the Sahitya Akademy award.
The Assam state election commission announced  the date and scheduled for the by-election for No.22 Koklabari constituency in Bodoland Territorial Region on 8th June. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Assam's state election commissioner, Alok Kumar issued the notification for conduct the bye poll for Koklabari constituency in Baksa district with effect from Thursday. The last date of nomination is fixed on 23rd May, and scrutiny is on 24th May. The election will take place on June 8th and counting will be held on June 12th. The bye poll in Koklabari constituency was necessitated following BTR CEM Pramod Boro resigning as MCLA from Koklabari constituency being elected as...
The 61st annual conference of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha began in Gwjwn Fwthar, Kachubari of Tamulpur district on Monday with three-day colourful programmes scheduled. As part of the programme scheduled for the first day of the conference, chairman of the reception committee Dharna Narayan Das inaugurated late Ashina Basumatary's memorial main gate, Assam's BJP president Bhabesh Kalita inaugurated late Santiswar Brahma and late Sonraran Boro's memorial guest house and Legislative Assembly Speaker Katiram Boro inaugurated late Sunil Kumar Boro's memorial main pandal. Social activist Parul Bharali Boro inaugurated the late Halodhar Ujir and the late Maneswar Boro's memorial exhibition complex...
The Kokrajhar Cancer Hospital, located in Beswargaon, has been dedicated to rendering services for the common masses in Bodoland Territorial Region districts on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ceremonially inaugurated the newly constructed Cancer Hospital via a virtual meeting from Dibrugarh in the presence of union cabinet minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Tata trust chairman, Ratan Tata and Governor of Assam Prof Jagdish Mukhi. Chief minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma was also present at the function. Kokrajhar, BTR CEM Pramod Boro, deputy CEM Gabinda Chandra Basumatary, MLAs Lawrence Islary, Jiron Basumatary, Jayanta Basumatary and BTC executive member Arup Kumar Dey are attending a...
Amid a strict security vigil, arrested Gujrat Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani was brought to Kokrajhar police station and later produced before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court. Mevani was sent into police custody for three days. Mevani was arrested late last night in Gujarat by Assam Police after BJP leader Arup Kumar Dey filed an FIR with Kokrajhar police station. Mevani had put his remarks about Godse a few days ago. Based on that, Dey had lodged an FIR with the police. Advocates for Mevani have said that the necessary legal process has been initiated on the matter, and they hope that he will be getting bail. However, Congress party workers and members have staged a...