Karbi New Year celebrated with pomp and gaiety

From our Correspondent

HOWRAGHAT, February 1: The Karbi Ningkan Kimi (Karbi New Year) was celebrated with pomp and gaiety across Karbi Anglong Hill district on February 1.

According to Karbi calendar Thangthang Niphai 1, February 1 is considered as New Year by the Karbi community. Since long Karbi people have been observing February 1 as the New Year every year.

Karbi people observed Ningkan Kimi with great enthusiasm throughout the Karbi Anglong Autonomous district. The KAAC centrally observed Ningkan Kimi holding various programmes at the council’s open cultural stage in Diphu. The Karbi New Year celebration began with the Hemphu Karkil (Devotion of Almighty) at 7.30 pm. To spread messages of peace and unity, a number of balloons were released by the chief guest and guests of honour before beginning of the open session. The dignitaries who attended the function held on the occasion of Near Year celebration were felicitated and the welcome address was given by Dhaneswar Engti, Joint Secretary, Art & Culture, KAAC, Diphu. As chief guest, Bidyasing Rongpi, EM, KAAC addressed the open session. Rongpi greeted the people of Karbi Anglong. While appealing to people to maintain peace and tranquility, he laid stress on the need to enrich Karbi culture.

Ningkan Kimi was also celebrated at Howraghat Pan Engti playground under the aegis of the Jirlong Ahamthang, a Howraghat based NGO on Monday with a two day-long programme. Various Karbi traditiol sports and games were held. Traditiol food festival was also organized by the organizers this year on the occasion where a number of food stalls of endogenous ethnics - Karbi, Dimasa, ga, Bodo, Nepali, Ahom and Adivasi were seen. The traditiol food festival stalls were iugurated by Bidaysing Rongpi in presence of Premala Bey, local MAC and EM, KAAC. The cultural night will be held tomorrow where upcoming artistes Pj Prince and Vitali Varbi will perform.