Nagaon, Feb. 12: Come Sunday, if you wish to savour some of the best "smoked" delicacies of the region, the place you need to head to is Taralangso, an idyllic hamlet near Diphu.

An ethnic food festival showcasing, among other traditional recipes, Karbi kimung or Dimasa brenga (food cooked after stuffing ingredients inside bamboo), will form the core of the Karbi Youth Festival, beginning February 15.

As many as eight indigenous communities of the state, primarily from Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts in central Assam, will showcase in their stalls (which will designed as traditional huts of the communtiies) several varieties of rice, fish and meat, mainly pork.

The gastronomic delights of the communities will resemble each other and yet would be distinguishable given the different methods of preparation.

The Karbi Youth Festival is the biggest annual festival of Karbi Anglong and one of the premier ethnic events of the region since 1974.

Taralangso, 4km from the Karbi Anglong district headquarters of Diphu, is a 300-acre hill blessed with natural vegetation and a stream.

"The food festival will have a separate campus within the venue (Taralangso). Each of the eight communities will have a separate traditional hut showcasing food items," said Chandrasingh Kro, the president of the Karbi Cultural Society. The Society was floated in 1977 and has been since conducting the festival every year.

The main objective of the festival is to promote the rich culture, literature and traditions of the indigenous communities of the state.

"Food comprises an integral part of our culture. Therefore, we plan to showcase the rich food habits of the indigenous communities of the region. This food festival will be a pivotal part of the annual youth festival. We expect a good response from people," Kro said.

Seven communities - Karbi, Dimasa, Tiwa, Hmar, Hrangkhawl, Boro and Garo - have confirmed their participation.

"They confirmed their participation after discussions with their respective apex organisations. The apex bodies of the communities have assured of manpower support to make the festival a success," Kro said.

As many as 13 indigenous groups reside in the two hill districts of Assam. Each of the communities has different but unique food habits.

"A similarity is that the food is not spicy. The food comprises primarily boiled items, which they cook and eat, mainly outdoors, when they take breaks from day-to-day work in their farms. The food is also healthy as herbs are an integral part of their recipes," said Rathin Thaosen of Dhansiri town.

The five-day festival will also feature literary meets, two seminars, cultural nights, a book fair, exhibitions and competitions.

The Karbi versions of former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Rong Bong Terang's masterpiece Asru Bhara Upadhya ( Nekri Buprup Alangham translated by Joysingh Tokbi), and A History of Karbi Literature by Lunse Timung will be released at the festival.