BTC Dy. Chief: Necessary initiatives would be taken to preserve traditional games
KOKRAJHAR: Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Deputy Chief Kampa Borgoyary while attending the conclusion ceremony of 9th Bodoland Indigenous Games Festival and inter-district Khomlainai Championship held at Gurubhasa in Chirang district (27-30 March, 2017) as chief guest said the council will take necessary initiatives and provide support to preserve and promote traditional games.
Borgoyary said the traditional games played by forefathers since the time immemorial have been being fade away. The time has come to bring back the practice of traditional games among the masses as part of physical fitness exercise; he said adding that the indigenous games did not require amenities or materials but one can play in any open space with locally available substances. He said late Chanakya Brahma; the founder of Bodoland Indigenous Games Association dedicated himself for the preservation and promotion of traditional games till his last. People used to laugh or mock on the initiatives of late Brahma saying that there is no benefit to play traditional games in modern days but Brahma did not care what the people say, he said adding that the traditional games have regained its past glory as people now try to understand the importance of indigenous games. He also said many traditional games have been made scientific framing rules of the game.
Borgoyary said Khomlainai has become more popular among the indigenous games and it is being recognized even in the international arena. He hoped that the Khomlainai would be recognized by the Olympic Association in near future. He also hoped that the BIGA will fulfill the dream of late Chanakya Brahma who died in Beijing in China while going to popularize the Khomlainai through demonstration in the World Martial Arts Championship in 2012.
BTC EM of Sports and Youth Welfare, Doneswar Goyary who attended the festival on second day to inaugurate the 3rd round of Khomlainai said the council has been giving due importance for preservation of traditional games. Since the traditional games are important for children in their daily sporting activities, the BTC Sports department felt the necessary of promoting the indigenous games and it recognized the BIGA as sports organizer of traditional games. He also said that the council has been trying to provide scholarship for the students of indigenous games.
Meanwhile, former minister and present MLA Chandan Brahma after inaugurating the final bout of ‘Khomlainai’ and ‘Dongfang Bukunai’ said people had forgotten the traditional games and there was none to revive the indigenous games but at the hour of crisis the BIGA has born to conserve the age old games. He praised the BIGA for keeping up the activities of traditional games through holding annual festival or championship in the region and hoped that the association will achieve its destined goal.
More than 300 participants including officials and referee participated in the 9th Bodoland Indigenous Games Festival and inter-district Khomlainai championship in Chirang. The players from different communities of the region strongly took part in the competition as well as in the demonstration. The BIGA has identified as many as 48 traditional games in BTC region. The prize distribution ceremony was also attended by guests from various organizations including local leading and intellectuals.
BTC Deputy Chief Kampa Borgoyary handing over the trophy to the winner team of Ghila competition.
Former Minister and present MLA Chandan Brahma inaugurating the final round of Khomlainai during the 9th Bodoland indigenous games festival in Chirang.
On the inaugural day of BIGA Festival: The 9th Bodoland Indigenous Games Festival and All Assam inter-district Khomlainai Championship was held from 27 March to 30 March, 2017at Garubhasa in Chirang district. The huge indigenous game event is a showcase of various traditional games played by rural masses since the time immemorial.
As part of the programme, the president of Bodoland Indigenous Games Association (BIGA) Boloram Brahma hoisted the organizational flag while local social worker Phulen Chandra Basumatary paid floral tribute to BIGA founder late Chanakya Brahma. Over three hundred participants including officials from four BTC districts including some adjoining districts of Assam joined the festival in Chirang.
Additional Deputy Commissioner, Chirang-Diganta Baishya released “BIGA at a glance” book published by the association and he also opened the traditional games festival. The Khomlainai competition was inaugurated by Sub Divisional Sports Officer, Kokrajhar-Matilal Borgoyary while the Ghila competition was inaugurated by the president of All Bodo Artistes’ Association-Bikash Basumatary. The Dongfang Bukunai competition was inaugurated by local social worker Pilion Basumatary while Daria-Pantha and Batha competition was inaugurated by Council Head of the Department (CHD), Information and Publicity, BTC-Ansuma Mohilary and Bathuram Basumatary respectively. The Khikho competition was inaugurated by Umesh Brahma, secretary of Bodo Writers’ Academy and member of Assam Football Tournament Committee. Besides, there were demonstrations on various traditional games that have been being forgotten by the people today.
In second day of BIGA Festival:
BTC EM of Sports and Youth Welfare-Doneswar Goyary inaugurate the final match of women Khomlainai while the MLA of 31-Sidli and former Minister Chandan Brahma inaugurated the final round of women’s Khomlainai. All the competition events were showcased while the other traditional games were demonstrated.
BTC-EM of Sports and Youth Welfare, Dondeswar Goyary said the council had been working hard for the development of indigenous games to revitalize the traditional games. He said the preservation of indigenous games was utmost important and also said the council has been trying hard to promote some events in the international arena. He also thanked the orgnzer-BIGA for holding such traditional events for conservation of all traditional games.
Former Minister and present MLA-Chandan Brahma said the initiative undertaken by the Bodoland Indigenous Games Association for preservation and promotion of indigenous gaes was important initiative. He said the traditional games had been fast dying games from the society but it needs to be revitalized.
On that day, all the competitions of indigenous game events were being run for second day while many traditional game events had been demonstrated on the occasion. On Monfsy, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Chirang-Diganta Baishya released “BIGA at a glance” book published by the association and he also opened the traditional games festival. The Khomlainai competition was inaugurated by Sub Divisional Sports Officer, Kokrajhar-Matilal Borgoyary while the Ghila competition was inaugurated by the president of All Bodo Artistes’ Association-Bikash Basumatary. The Dongfang Bukunai competition was inaugurated by local social worker Pilion Basumatary while Daria-Pantha and Batha competition was inaugurated by Council Head of the Department (CHD), Information and Publicity, BTC-Ansuma Mohilary and Bathuram Basumatary respectively. The Khikho competition was inaugurated by Umesh Brahma, secretary of Bodo Writers’ Academy and member of Assam Football Tournament Committee. Besides, there were demonstrations on various traditional games that have been being forgotten by the people today.
Photos: Competitions of some traditional game events are seen at Garubhasa in Chirang district on the first day on that day.
