Guwahati, Dec. 21: Royal roots have united the descendants of at least seven Koch royal families of Assam, West Bengal, Bangladesh and Bhutan to celebrate Chilarai Divas - the birth anniversary of Chilarai, the commander of 16th century Koch king Nara Narayan, here on February 22.

The descendants of the royal families in Cooch Behar (Bengal), Bijni, Sidli, Khaspur, Beltola (Assam) and Panga (Bangladesh) formed an umbrella group, the Consortium of Koch Royal Families, in September. The consortium has now decided to take the lead to celebrate Chilarai Divas at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra at Panjabari here.

"We will introduce ourselves to the people of Assam on February 22 as we celebrate Chilarai Divas together. Very few people in our state are aware of the descendants of Koch royal families and how we are struggling to keep our heritage alive. Apart from the royal family, we have invited descendants of Koch royal families from Jharkhand and Nepal, too," Pranab Narayan Deb, a member of Darrang (Assam) Koch royal family and the secretary of the consortium, said here today.

"The ancient Koch palaces are still there but many families are having a tough time maintaining them because of the lack of government support. The government had signed agreements with the royal families to financially support them when their lands were taken away but very few are being provided financial support," he said.

The consortium comprises organisations such as Koch Rajbongshi, Xahitya Xabha, Koch Rajbongshi Cultural Society, All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union (both Hitesh and Biswajit factions), Chilarai Sena, Koch Rajbongshi Sanmilani (both factions), Koch Rajbongshi Yuva Sanmilani and Centre for Koch Rajbongshi Studies and Development, among others.

Deb said the consortium would work to preserve the royal heritage and promote art, music and dance of the Koch Rajbongshi community. They would also fight the distortion of facts about Koch Rajbongshis by a section of people, he added. The consortium urged the Centre to fulfil its promise of according Scheduled Tribe status to the community living in Assam.

Parikshit Narayan Deb, the third generation member of Beltola Koch royal family (Guwahati) expressed hope that the consortium would help preserve their culture and heritage.