the association 2013

the
association
5
SEARCH “Diwali + Assam
Association UK” on Google
and the first result is a
YouTube video uploaded
by Anirbandeep Dutta.
The video shows five
nervous looking men – Mr
Dutta, among them – being
taught how to belly dance
by a professional.
Mr Dutta posted a comment
when he uploaded his
video to YouTube.
He wrote: “We were
dragged onto the stage by
her. Was actually fun
performing with everyone!”
The professional belly
dancer’s class was just one
of the highlights of the
United Assam Association
of the UK’s first Diwali
celebrations – an event that
is now to become annual.
The Association’s
Executive Committee felt it
had been an oversight by
the organisation not to hold
‘we were
dragged
on the
stage...was
actually fun’
a celebration to mark Diwali
— a situation remedied by
the Uaauk’s Vice
President Dr Shyam Saikia,
assisted by Committee
Member Dr Bhupen Dev
Sharma.
The inaugural event was
held on 10 November at
Marston Green Parish Hall
in Birmingham.
As with all good
Assamese events, the
Diwali celebrations began
with tea and snacks, and
included a cultural
programme of local artists,
who entertained the
audience through music,
song and dance.
The performance
culminated in the
masterclass, for both men
and women, on belly
dancing and the later posting
of the YouTube video.
No Diwali party would be
complete without a sizeable
feast and this is what the
organisers had provided:
from substantial starters, to
mains with numerous types
of curry, to a selection of
sweets and desserts.
Once appetites were
sated, the partygoers –
more than a hundred attended
– were ushered
outside for spectacular
fireworks to celebrate the
Hindu festival of lights that
lasted for more than half
and hour.
Finally, after the revellers
had been wowed by the
impressive light show, it
was time to wrap up the
Association event in the
traditional way – with a
disco that included some
Bihu classics.
To watch Anirbandeep
Dutta’s YouTube video go
to bit.ly/188mlyi
tackle homeland’s needs
Smitana Saikia, who is
currently writing a doctorate
around the politics of
Call for action:
Former Foreign Minister
Bill Rammell addresses
Assam Forum of GB
ethnicity in Assam, argued
that a historic lack of an
official definition of the
“Assamese” people is
intrinsically linked to
concerns over immigration,
with many tribal groups
feeling their distinct
identities are being
threatened.
She argued that the lack
of provision for “legislative
and administrative
safeguards to protect the
cultural, social, and
linguistic identity and
heritage”, as outlined in the
Assam Accord deal of
1985, had led to this identity
crisis – a factor during
last year’s Bodo-Muslim
violence.
Calling for a return to a
multi-ethnic society, Ms
Saikia said: “Part of this is
to have an all-inclusive
definition of Assamese –
something the Government
of Assam still has not done
after embarking on this in
2007.”
The meeting, which was
overseen by AFGB’s
chairman Dr Bhupen Dev
Sarmah, also discussed the
problems of Assam’s
devastating floods.
Dr Rituparna Bhattacharya
called for a renewed
effort to add Majuli, the
world’s largest river island,
to the UNESCO World
Heritage list. She bemoaned
the failure of previous
efforts and claimed that
one bid had collapsed due
to mistakes regarding paperwork.
Dr Tarun Chowdhury said
both the Assam and Indian
governments needed to
improve flood relief
provision and, if necessary,
be prepared to ask the
outside world for help.
Citing the aftermath of last
year’s flood crisis when an
estimated 500,000
displaced people were left
living in poor conditions, he
said: “They [the Assam
government] should also
put their pride to one side
and ask for foreign help as
it will save lives.”