Artistes play traditional instruments at the 10th conference of the All Bathou Mahasabha in Kokrajhar on Sunday. Picture by UB Photos

Kokrajhar, Feb. 9: Sounds of kham, sifung (flute), serja and jotha rang out in Baksa’s Simla area when 4,000 musicians played the Bodo traditional musical instruments at the 10th conference of the All Bathou Mahasabha today.

A mass prayer for world peace was also held where over 50,000 Bathou devotees had participated.

Altogether 4,000 musicians, 1,000 each for playing kham, sifung, serja and jotha, played the musical instruments for over an hour at the Sabha venue.

Lok Sabha MP Sansuma Kunggur Bwiswmuthiary, who is also the chairperson of World Centre for Mongol Origin People, inaugurated the programme in the presence of Oidov Nyamdavaa, former ambassador of Mongolia to India and co-chairperson of the centre.

The mass prayer was led by chief priest Kashinath Swargoyary and the president of the All Bathou Mahasabha, Parameswar Brahma.

Brahma said music has a very important role in Bathou religion. “Kham, sifung, serja and jotha play a very important role in Bathou religion. So to mark the 10th conference of the All Bathou Mahasabha, 4,000 musicians played the musical instrument,” he said.

Nyamdavaa expressed happiness over the rich culture and tradition of the Bodos and urged them to preserve their own culture, identity, tradition and language to survive in the world of globalisation.

He laid emphasis on strengthening the bond of Mongolian-origin people residing around the globe. “We have to be united and should maintain identity, tradition and culture which are very important,” Nyamdavaa said.

He said the Mongoloid-origin people should utilise the benefits of globalisation to support each other . “Around 120 million Mongoloid-origin people count as the single largest race in the world spread over India, Nepal, Thailand, the US, China, Japan, Taiwan, Afghanistan and Korea.”

Later, an open session was held which was inaugurated by BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary.

Ramesh Chuba of Bengal (13th generation member of the King Naranarayana’s Koch dynasty) attended as the chief guest. Kanteswar Bargary, chief organising secretary of All Bathou Mahasabha and Ghanashyam Swargiary, adviser to the All Bathou Mahasabha, were the other speakers.

Those who attended the open session were BTC deputy chief Kampa Borgoyary, Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary and general secretary of Indo-Bhutan Friendship Association Marbu Wangi among others.

Thousands of Bathou devotees and delegates from Nepal and also from states, including Bengal, Nagaland, Meghalaya, apart from various parts of Assam thronged the Bathou Mahasabha at Simla which started on Thursday with a four-day colourful programme. The conference was organised by the Paschim Baksa district of All Bathou Mahasabha.