The Maati Ke Rang, which started at the NEZCC Complex in Dimapur, Nagaland, on January 13, has ended with a mega cultural program, representing the diverse cultural flavours of India (through seven Zonal Cultural Centres).
Giving a brief history of Maati Ke Rang, K.K. Mittal, chief guest for the January 17 closing ceremony, informed that the Government of India had intentionally decided to host this edition of the festival in the North East.
"The Government of India, is trying to generate cross cultivation of cultures in India, and this is possible through festivals like Maati Ke Rang," Mittal said.
He also hoped that such cultural exchanges can be promoted in future with even richer content. He complimented the NEZCC on behalf of the Government of India for being able to hold such an event, which has increased the capacity of the region to host such events.
Greeting the international performing artists from India's neighbouring countries, as well as the artists from other states of India, Governor of Nagaland, P B Acharya was all praise for the NEZCC Director, Lipokmar Tzudir, for taking up this challenge of hosting Maati Ke Rang in Dimapur and putting together the event.
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"India is a secular, plural and diverse country. North East is full of diversity, and India is known for its unity in diversity-different cultures thriving together.
Nagaland also has 16 tribes in a population of 20 lakh...we are diverse and we can move forward together," said the Governor, addressing the audience in Hindi.
"There are 8 states in the North East but sometimes it feels like one way traffic," acknowledged Acharya, stating that many people from here go to metropolitan cities in India, but people from there do not visit the North East so often.
"It is their loss," he noted.
He also asked the performing artists from Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh to take home the message that "Let us all move forward in a democratic way. Violence and guns are not the answer."
The Governor concluded with the slogans 'Kuknalim' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.' Director of NEZCC, Lipokmar Tzudir, thanked the Government of India's Ministry of Culture for giving NEZCC the opportunity to host this year's Maati Ke Rang and also placed the suggestion before the Ministry of Culture to have an annual cultural festival of this kind in each of the states of the North East.
"Beyond the building of infrastructure here, the success of this festival is to have brought the nation together on the 20 acres of land at NEZCC. We have grown together in the last 5 days, and it is our earnest request that that we take forward
our experiences," Tzudir said.
Thirty-three international performing artists, 255 local artistes, 468 craft persons, performing artists and food experts came from all over India attended the Maati Ke Rang.
