Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first Bodoland Mahotsav in New Delhi on 15 November 2024. The two-day festival on 15&16 November 2024 celebrates and showcases the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Bodos and other communities of the Bodoland Territorial Region of Assam

During the inauguration ceremony, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Governor of Assam, Pramod Boro, Chief of Bodoland Territorial Region, Deepen Bodo, Dr Surath Narzary, and other distinguished guests. Himanta Biswa Sarma, chief minister of Assam, joined the function virtually.

During the Mahotsav, over five thousand cultural, linguistic, and art enthusiasts from the Bodoland region of Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and other parts of India participated. Delegates from Bhutan and Nepal also participated in the Mahotsav.

Who are Bodos?

Bodos are considered the earliest settlers in the Brahmaputra valley region of Assam. They are descendants of the Mongolian race and migrated from Tibet and China to Assam.

Presently, Bodos are concentrated in the Kokrajhar, Goalpara, Dhubri, Darrang, Nowgang, Nalbari, Baksha, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Dhemaji, Kamrup, Udalguri, and Bongaigaon districts.

Bodos are the largest Scheduled Tribes of Assam.

Demand for Separate Bodolands

After independence, the Bodos in Assam felt marginalised in the state. Soon, in 1967, a movement started in Assam demanding a separate state for the Bodos called Bodoland.

In 1993, an agreement was signed between the government and the All Bodo Student Union (ABSU), which led to the establishment of the Bodoland Autonomous Council, which provided for limited self-rule for the Bodos.

The second Bodo accord was signed in 2003. It was signed between the extremist Bodoland Liberation Tiger Force, the central government, and the Assam government, which established a Bodoland Territorial Region to satisfy the Bodos' demand for self-rule.

The Bodoland Territorial Region comprises four districts of Assam: Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Udalguri. It has substantial autonomy and is protected by the provisions of the sixth schedule of the Indian constitution.

A popularly elected body, the Bodoland Territorial Council, governs the Bodoland Territorial Region.

However, the second Bodo accord failed to bring peace to the region, and some form of Bodo militancy continued.

The third Bodo accord, signed in January 2020 between the central government, the Assam government, and the various Bodo groups, finally ended all militancy in the region.

The 1st Mahotsav celebrates the peace brought to the Bodo areas by the 2020 Bodo Accord.

Theme of the First Bodo Mahotsav

“Peace and Harmony for Prosperous Bharat” is the theme of the first Bodo Mahotsav..

The theme highlights the rich culture and linguistic heritage of the Bodos and other communities living in the Bodoland Territorial Region.