Delhi Metro commuters were greeted with a sight of coaches pasted with advertisements about Assam's ambitious plan to set a Guinness World Record with the largest Bihu performance ever. Over 11,140 bihu dancers and drummers are set to take part in this grand cultural extravaganza that will take place on April 14 at the Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati.
The event aims to promote the Bihu dance internationally and create a new benchmark in the Guinness World Records. The performers are preparing tirelessly for the 15-minute performance, and the ratio of boys and girls participating will be 30:70, with participants from every district in the state.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his excitement for the event, and stated that the performers will be given an allowance of Rs 10,500 to purchase two pairs of costumes. The drummers and dancers will be arriving from various districts, with 1400 from Dibrugarh, 500 from Tinsukia, 800 from Sivasagar, 400 from Charaideo, 800 from Jorhat, and so on.
The event will mark the beginning of the Assamese New Year and is the largest cultural festival of the people of Assam. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event. To invite governors and chief ministers from other states, ministers will travel to different states from March 20 to 30.
After registering the Bihu in the Guinness Book of World Records, the state government plans to hold a seven-day Bihu celebration in Sivasagar and Guwahati next year. The government will also offer grants of Rs 1.5 lakh to each Bihu celebration committee, and a detailed SOP will be published within the next few days.
The next attempt will be to include the Bagurumba dance of the Bodo community in the record book next year. The event will be organized in Kokrajhar, and it promises to be another grand spectacle showcasing the vibrant cultural diversity of the state.