“Lokmanthan 2022” was organized by the Intellectual Forum of North East, Prajna Pravah, the Government of Assam, and Assam Tourism. It took place from September 21st to September 24th, 2022, at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
“Lokmanthan 2022” was organised by the Intellectual Forum of North East, Prajna Pravah, the Government of Assam, and Assam Tourism. It took place from September 21st to September 24th, 2022, at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
The event, a journey embarked upon by ‘Prajna Pravah’, a nationwide intellectual movement rooted in Bharatiya ethos and traditions, aimed to explore the cultural and traditional treasures of India. The local organiser of the event was the Intellectual Forum for North East (IFNE), and it was co-hosted by the Assam Tourism Development Corporation. This was the third edition of ‘Lokmanthan,’ with the previous editions focusing on ‘Decolonising Indian Minds’ in 2016 and ‘BharatBodh: Jan-Gan-Man’ in 2018. This year’s biennale colloquium centred around the theme of ‘Lok Parampara’ (Lok traditions), highlighting how Lok traditions have preserved our cultural consciousness and strengthened our national identity.
The formal Inaugural Session of the event took place on the morning of September 22nd, 2022, at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra. Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Hon’ble Vice-President of India, graced the event as the Chief Guest. Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Hon’ble Governor of Assam and Nagaland, attended as the Guest of Honour, while Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, addressed the session as a distinguished guest. The Exhibition and Cultural evening were inaugurated on September 21st, 2022, with the presence of Shri Bimal Borah, Honourable Minister of Industries and Commerce, Public Enterprises and Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam, Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba, Manipur & Hon’ble Member of Rajya Sabha, and Shri Tirthanka Das Kalita, Boudhik Pramukh Assam Kshetra, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
During ‘Lokmanthan,’ a series of intellectual sessions were organised, featuring addresses by Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura, Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Hon’ble Minister of Education, Government of Assam, and several prominent scholars from across the country. The valedictory session on September 24th had Shri Arif Muhammad Khan, Hon’ble Governor of Kerala, as the Chief Guest. Eminent intellectuals, prominent artists, and academics actively participated in various sessions, contributing to the enriching discourse of the event.
The four-day event had discussions, cultural events, and exhibitions that showcased the rich diversity of the nation. As an ode to the age-old magnificence of our culture, history, heritage, and traditions, ‘Lokmanthan’ celebrated the beauty of Lokparampara with an exhibit of our traditional treasures entwined in the cultural practices of our communities.
‘Lokmanthan’ also hosted three evenings filled with spectacular cultural performances. A spectrum of colourful folk-dance forms of North East like Wangala Dance of Meghalaya, Cheraw Dance of Mizoram, Sattriya, Bihu Dance of Assam, Hojagiri Dance of Tripura, Ao Warrior dance of Nagaland, Yak dance and Chinghi Chaam dance of Arunachal Pradesh, Dhol Chalam and Thang Ta dance of Manipur,
and many other dance forms were presented by talented artists across North East India. The cultural showcase also presented diverse dance forms across India such as Yakshagana, Jijhotia Dance, etc.
Every evening from 21st September to 23rd September 2022, some of the most well- known musicians of North East India such as the popular folk band of Manipur, Mangka Laihui, the well-known musical sisters of Nagaland, Tetseo Sisters, and popular musical icons of Assam such as Neel Akash, Dikshu, Mayuri Dutta, and Kalpana Patowari graced the stage.
