Jorhat, Sept. 11: The inauguration of the naamghar at Moran Blind School in Dibrugarh district today by chief minister Tarun Gogoi was outwardly a confluence of religions, mixing of culture, blending of architecture with an aim to uplift tea communities.
Ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls, the ruling Congress also subtly conveyed that it had and would always support the tea industry.
Actor Victor Banerjee, whose father, armyman S.N. Banerjee, had set up the school at Raidingia in Moran in 1971 for blind children of tea workers, attended the programme. Banerjee had spent several years in Upper Assam working in different tea gardens.
Banerjee in his welcome speech dealt with Dimasas of the NC Hills being believers in Vaishnavism to why the lions on either side of the steps of the naamghar were stretched out and sleeping and those on the pillars erect and awake.
Quoting from the Bible, Banerjee said the Judah tribe in Palestine was asked not to wake the lion which had told to crouch and sleep. Similarly, the two sleeping lions represent the Assam of today - peaceful and quiet - and no one should dare wake them. On the other hand, the two standing lions were for Odisha - the architectural design representing the ones found in the temples there as tribute to late J.B. Patnaik, former Assam governor, who had contributed generously to the construction of the " hari mandir".
The inauguration began with choir song performed by students of St Joseph's School followed by the blind school students singing the state anthem, O mor aponar dex.
His friend and NC Hills Autonomous Council chief executive member Debojeet Thaosen accompanied Banerjee. A troupe of 25 dancers bedecked in traditional Cachar jewellery and rikaunsharemai, a three-piece bright-yellow garment with coloured thread, were also present.
Thaosen said this was the first time he was visiting this part of Assam and those present may not have been introduced to Cachari culture.
Sculptor Amar Dhali, an alumni of Government College of Art and Craft in Calcutta, amalgamated the lion sculptures with a Thai look, the bricks resembling those accessed from Dehradun and Garuda embossed in cement, a portrait of Xankardeb in wood, the dasavatars carved on the doors - all creating an ambience Vaishnavism.
Banerjee said Gogoi was a chief minister who did not represent only the Congress but "he was the people's chief minister".
The chief minister returned the compliment saying Banerjee's knowledge in so many spheres would stand Assam in good stead when he would "speak about our culture to people outside".
Gogoi spoke of Xankardeb and Madhabdeb, whose death anniversaries are in the Saka calendar month of Badon and the dedication and commitment in serving humanity by Banerjee and others associated with the blind school. He also announced a grant of Rs 20 lakh for the school.
Former Dibrugarh MLA Paban Singh Ghatowar, patron of the institute ever since its inception, spoke how it had started out with two students and now grown to 64.
State forest minister Atuwa Munda said the Congress would always back the tea community.
The audience largely comprised tea planters and officials of the Assam Branch of Indian Tea Association, sponsors of the meals for the children.
Thowra MLA Sushanta Borgohain was also present.
