(Male hill trekking champion prize goes to Gujrat while female to Kolkata)
KOKRAJHAR, April 18: The 5th Baokhungri Festival which got started from April 12 concluded on April 14 at the historic famous Baokhungri hills situated near Kokrajhar with huge flow of visitors from the North Eastern states as well as states from Gujrat, UP, Punjab, West Bengal, Tripura and other states of India. The festival had all enthusiasm with flavors of ethnic food, hill trekking, cultural extravaganza and indigenous games that attracted the people.
The hill trek competition, competitions of indigenous games, ethnic food festival, added the essence of the festival. In the hill trekking competition on the hill top of Baokhungri, over 200 participants from both male and female took part from various districts of Assam including competitors from Punjab, Gujrat, UP, Tripura, Karnatak, Assam and West Bengal etc. The trekking competition was organized separately for male and female. The winner of both categories carried a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh while the 2nd and 3rd position were given Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 5,000 to each from 4th to 10th position holders as the consolation prize.
In the male category, the 1st prize goes to Yogendra Kumar of Gujrat hailing from Dahod district. He finished the 7 km hill trekking in 37.30 minutes against 36.38 minutes in last year’s champion followed by Parag Kr.Deka of Morigaon (37.48 minutes) and Rajendra Kr. Bind Allahabad, UP (38.44 minutes). The top ten position holders’ are-Jahidul Islam of Kamrup, Dulu Sarkar of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, Hemanta Ray of North Abhayapuri, Bongaigaon, Abul Hossain of Coochbehar, West Bengal, Bhupen Deka of Morigaon, Sanjay Bhumij of Tinsukia and Kuldeep Kumar of Sandwra, Punjab.
In women category, Shyamali Sing of Pachim Medinipur of West Bengal got the 1st prize while Ms Kiranjit Kaur of Bhatinda district of Punjab who won the champion for three consecutive terms got in the third place this time. Sing finished the 7 km rough hill trekking in 47.04 minutes against Kaur’s 43.32 minutes record last year. Meanwhile, Poonam Singh of Allahabad, UP who finished in 47.46 minutes won the second prize and Kiranjit Kaur of Bhatinda of Punjab l who finished in 49.35 minutes got the 3rd prize. The best 10 position holders who received Rs. 5,000 each are- Matowara Ahmed of Kalatoli, Kamrup, Dipti Chutiya of Golaghat, Razina Parbin of Kamrup (Rural), Mina Bordoloi, Nowkhola, Morigaon, Minuwara Khatun of Kamrup (Rural), Momata Fulmali of Cachar and Rabina Mashahary of Medaghat, Baksa.
Similarly, the champion of Gila competition, Bhalukjhora of Kokrajhar received Rs. 20,000 while 2nd position holder Bhalukjhora A and Ghoshkata of the same district received Rs. 10,000 and 5,000 respectively. In Khomlainai, Udalguri district got the highest prize followed by Baksa and Kokrajhar. The Khomlainai competition was conducted in five categories for both male and female. The 1st prize winners were given Rs. 10,000 and certificate for each while the 2nd and 3rd rank holders were given Rs. 5,000 and 2,500 respectively. Over two lakh people from various nook and corner including from outside states enjoyed the traditional hill trekking and Baokhungri festival.
The Deputy Chief of BTC Kampa Borgoyary while attending the prize distribution ceremony as chief guest said the council has been giving sympathetic approach towards the preservation of indigenous games in BTC area and with a view to protect it from being diminished the prizes of Khomlainai, Gila and other traditional game competitions would be enhanced from next year. The 1st prize winner in Khomlainai would be Rs. 25,000 while the 2nd and 3rd would be given Rs. 20,000 to 15,000 respectively. He also said the prize of Gila would also be enhanced from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 40,000 and the live cock fight would also be given due importance.
Borgoyary said the paragliding from the “Onthai Gufur” hill near Baokhungri was one of the most attractive items in the festival. He said, other than Sikkim, there is no paragliding in North Eastern states and now the BTC has been trying to include it in the tourism sector. As many as six paragliders from BTC have returned after completing the training in Sikkim and now the council will introduce it, he said adding that the paragliding was brought to Baokhungri festival since 2013.
The first day of Baokhungri Festival, 2017
The Deputy Chief of BTC Kampa Borgoyary inaugurated the main gate and cultural event of the festival while BTC Principal Secretary BC Phukan hoisted the flag of the organizing committee. The arena of traditional game competitions was inaugurated by BTC EM-Rajib Brahma while the Deputy Chief along with EM Rajib Brahma also inaugurated the Ghila and lives cock fight competition. Kokrajhar DC-Bibekananda Choudhury inaugurated the ethnic food festival. SP-Rajen Singh will flag off the hill trekking competition on Thursday morning at 8 am.
There were 50 stalls for ethnic food festival where cuisine from Bodo, Garo, Dimasa, Rabha, Adivasi, Karbi, Mishing and even from Bhutan are available. The visitors are seen looking for special local prepared cook items and rice beer. The roasted pork and pigeon dominated the demand of the visitors. In the traditional games, over 250 competitors from four BTC districts including Sonitpur and Goalpara took part while around 200 participants have reportedly registered for hill trekking competition. Besides, cultural troupes from various communities and noted artistes’ are performing in the mega festival of the region.
The auspicious day of Sankranti is most eagerly awaited by many to climb the hill top of Baokhungri hill every year and feel the divine touch of Sibrai (Lord Shiva). A Bodo legend has it that Baokhungri hill is sacred dwelling of Sibrai and other deities. The traditional folklore depicts that princes Deeplai, the daughter of King Daokha sacrificed her life in Baokhungri peak when she received the tragic news of martyrdom of her beloved prince Charming of the neighborhood kingdom. In Bodo, Bao means to offer or propitiate and Khungri means Princes. Therefore, the name of Baokhungri gives a meaning of princes who offered herself to God in the name of her beloved. There is also belief that if someone climb the hill top thrice consecutively every year on the day of Sankranti they would be blessed with the boon of success in love and conjugal bliss.
Baokhungri hill perched at 1,491 feet above the sea level is about 10 km South East of Kokrajhar town which is also situated in the famous Chakrasilla Wild Life Sanctuary in the North Eastern region of India that is the home for the rarest and most endangered species Golden Languor (Presbytis Gee). Besides there are other primates like- leopard, Malayan giant squirrel, Chinese Pangolin, jungle cat, Burmese rock python and many other animals and birds. Some sites of interest in and around Baokhungri are-Sikri-Sikla, Jounagra, Baokhungri peak, Dibil Thakur peak, Ontai Gufur, Dangdufur, Diplai bilw, Dheerbeel, Bhalukjhora and Rubber garden etc.
Baokhungri is a place which is pregnant with myths, legends and folklore. It was declared as a protected site in 1994. The Chakrasilla Wildlife Sanctuary has an area of 45.56 sq. km. The sanctuary has tourist bungalow for the tourist in a beautiful place with sal tress around it.
Photos: BTC Deputy Chief Kampa Borgoyary inaugurating the 5th Baokhungri Festival, 2017 at Nwlwbari, Kokrajhary. Borgoyary is also aiming at Ghila while inaugurating the competition.
