Bollywood singers Zubeen Garg and Papon and actor Adil Hussain have appealed to people to save Majuli, the world's largest inhabited river island which is facing threat to its existence, during the North East Festival in New Delhi.
During the three-day event between October 16-18, showcasing the diverse culture and heritage of the region, Zubeen, the Assamese heartthrob, presented the Majuli show in which a documentary was screened to highlight the island's plight.
The festival concluded with a performance by Zubeen, who shot to fame in Hindi cinema with his 2006 chartbuster "Ya Ali", where a documentary on Majuli was shown, a release said.
In the documentary, Zubeen appealed to his fans to join hands and save Majuli from the threat of extinction.
Papon, Assam's another singing superstar with a slew of Bollywood and Coke Studio hits, and actor Adil Hussain, who has won critical acclaim for his roles in movies like English Vinglish and Life of Pie, also backed the regional festival's 'Save Majuli' campaign through video messages.
Blessed with mesmerising natural beauty, Majuli is home to 1,50,000 people. It has also been the abode of Vaishnavism in Assam for 400 years. But this historic island has lost half of its landmass to erosion in the past 50 years, the statement said.
Scientists believe Majuli could completely disappear in the next 20 years if it continues to shrink at this rate, it added.
"Majuli is my most favourite place in the world. This massive island has been one of the biggest inspirations in my life. I even have a very popular song on Majuli in Assam. I portrayed Majuli as a woman who lost her youth too soon," Zubeen said.
