Pobitora’s first-ever ‘Haduk Mela’ celebrates culture, craft & community involvement

Guwahati: Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary’s periphery development committee launched its inaugural ‘Haduk Mela’ on Friday, a three-day event celebrating Assamese heritage through music, culture, cuisine, and traditional crafts.The festival is set against the lush backdrop of one of Assam’s premier rhino habitats.Named after the Haduk Beel, a wetland within the sanctuary in Assam’s Morigaon district, the ‘Haduk Mela’ is being held at Asingia Playground, located within Pobitora.Range officer Pranjal Baruah highlighted the active involvement of local communities in organising the event without financial assistance from the forest department. The initiative aims to enhance community participation and boost the local economy.Local communities from seven villages, including Burha Mayong, Auguri, Hatigarh, Kholabhuya, Chonka, Raja Mayong, and Hadugpar, are participating in the event. The mela features locally made textiles, bamboo products, jewellery, traditional food items, and a folk culture programme. “The locals residing around or within Pobitora are given training in making various items from materials found in the forest through workshops organised by the forest department. However, they could not get the right platform to sell those items. Hence, this community event provides an opportunity for bringing an alternative source of income for those villagers and using the earnings for their own development,” Baruah said.As this is the first time such an event is being held, Baruah hopes it will become an annual affair. The wildlife sanctuary experiences an increase in tourist footfall between Dec and Jan, and the event can highlight the handiwork of local people. Last year, Pobitora welcomed 34,535 visitors, up from 30,305 tourists in 2023. “During the winters, the tourist footfall in the park increases almost by 50%, which is a blessing for them,” the range officer said.