Three-day Biswanath Raas festival begins with tributes to Zubeen Garg
Like the past two years, Zubeen Garg was to join the festivities this year, yet his spirit resonated through every tribute
Participants at Biswanath Raas festival performing Diha naam (AT Image)
Biswanath, Nov 4: The air in Biswanath was filled with devotion as the three-day Raas festival commenced with grand festivities on Monday.
Organised by the North Chariali Sarbajanin Raasotsav Committee, this year, the festival is being held at the Rail Gate Field and has been dedicated to Assam’s beloved cultural icon, Zubeen Garg.
Thousands of devotees and admirers of Garg gathered at the venue on the opening day to take part in the devotional programmes that marked the beginning of the celebration.
The event began with Harinam Sankirtan, featuring over a thousand verses, followed by the lighting of 5,000 lamps that illuminated the entire area.
Around two thousand attendees joined in singing devotional songs, adding to the spiritual ambience of the evening.
“We had earlier announced that Zubeen Garg would be with us this year too. Though he couldn’t be present physically, we have dedicated the entire Raas festival to him,” said Niranjan Hazarika, president of the Biswanath Raas Mahotsav.
Notably, like the past two years, Garg was scheduled to attend the Biswanath Raas Mahotsav this year as well.
Despite his absence, his presence was deeply felt through the tributes, songs, and artistic expressions that filled the evening, turning the event into a collective celebration of devotion and remembrance.
“We started the programme with Diha Naam and the saaki lighting ceremony. Songs like Mayabini were beautifully rendered by artistes including Tonmoy Saikia, Dhrubajyoti Rajkhowa, Manash Bhagawati and Bidyasagar. Nilim Mahanta is also creating live art as part of the celebration. The festival will continue till November 5,” he added.
The highlight of the opening day was the unveiling of a special song composed in memory of Garg, written and presented by his close friend Manas Bhagawati, drawing emotional applause from the audience.
The festival will continue over the next two days with a series of cultural and religious performances.
On November 4 and 5, devotees will witness plays based on the childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna, including Kalajaya Naat Kaligopal, a traditional feature of the Biswanath Raas festival.