One in all India’s longest carnivals has just about turned the sandy banks of the Brahmaputra river right into a seashore providing a mixture of tradition, journey, and glamping. Whereas the Northeast has State-specific occasions such because the Ziro Music Competition of Arunachal Pradesh, the Shillong Cherry Blossom Competition of Meghalaya, and Nagaland’s Hornbill Competition, the hunt for a competition with a pan-region flavour resulted within the 90-day Brahmaputra Carnival that’s scheduled to conclude on March 15.
The occasion, billed as a celebration of tradition, journey and serenity, began on December 15, 2024, at Lachit Ghat in Guwahati and a seasonal sandbar or island on the Brahmaputra about 4 kilometre to the East.
A Bihu efficiency
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Particular Association
As one approaches the situation, a statue of Lachit Barphukan, a Seventeenth-Century Ahom normal, overlooks the ghat or riverbank. The venue can be beside a brand new bridge being constructed throughout the river.
“The majestic, mighty, and mesmerising Brahmaputra is greater than a river; it’s the heartbeat of Assam’s tradition and heritage other than being on the core of a significant biodiversity hotspot on earth,” says Tourism Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass. “The Brahmaputra Carnival is a grand celebration of Assam’s vibrant tradition, beautiful delicacies, thrilling adventures, and the timeless attract of the river. This competition marks a pivotal step in showcasing our State’s wealthy heritage and welcoming travellers from throughout the globe,” he provides.
Tourism officers say the carnival is a bid to advertise river tourism whereas contributing to the expansion of Assam’s tourism ecosystem largely depending on the Kaziranga Nationwide Park.
The Glamping Island Tent Metropolis
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The place journey meets tradition
Other than jet skis, speedboat rides on journey mode, parasailing, river rafting, kayaking, all-terrain automobile rides, and different journey actions, the spotlight of the Brahmaputra Carnival is glamping, a portmanteau of ‘glamorous’ and ‘tenting’, on an expansive sandbar that surfaces through the winter when the water degree of the river subsides.
The sandbar, known as Glamping Island Tent Metropolis, contains a alternative of tents — royal, premium, and deluxe — and contains meals and cultural programmes that vary from the standard to the hybrid. An added attraction is the chance to identify the playful Gangetic dolphin and laze on a luxurious river cruise. “It is a one-of-a-kind occasion combining thrilling actions and tranquillity in luxurious tents near a bustling metropolis that provides different sights, ,” says Padmapani Bora, Managing Director, Assam Tourism Improvement Company.
The Brahmaputra Carnival in Guwahati
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In the event you go for town tour, it contains visits to the Kamakhya temple, about 4 kilometres from the venue, and the Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre transformed from a British-era District Justice of the Peace’s bungalow close by. There are alternatives to go to the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, usually known as ‘Mini Kaziranga’, about 50 kilometres away, and a silk village, Sualkuchi, about 30 kilometres away. “We hope to make the Brahmaputra Carnival the Northeast’s main fun-filled occasion that swings between intense actions and leisurely, luxurious stays,” concludes a tourism official.
The author was on the competition on the invitation of Assam Tourism Improvement Company
Printed – February 17, 2025 12:49 pm IST
