Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Nov 14: The fourth edition of the Basar Confluence, popularly known as BasCon, organized by the Gumin Rego Kilaju (GRK), will be held from 1 to 4 December at Basar, in Leparada district.
This year, the annual calendar event will showcase the art and culture of all the tribes of Arunachal.
Speaking to journalists at the Arunachal Press Club here on Thursday, GRK general secretary Jumgam Basar informed that the event is “purely a community-based tourism festival which will focus on the rich culture and tradition and ethno-heritage of the diverse tribes of Arunachal.”
“This year, we will have all 34 villages under Leparada district voluntarily participating in the festival. The festival is driven by the idea of community development; hence all profits earned through the event will be equally divided among the villagers,” he stated.
Jumgam also enumerated the activities which will be organized during the festival, such as display of folk dances and songs, traditional community fishing at Ego Valley, agro-tourism, sports competitions, adventure tourism, and hiking to Tapen Penru (bat cave) in Padi village.
Jumgam said a visit to the EB Project Nature for the tourists will also be conducted as part of the festival.
“The EB Project Nature, initiated by Egam Basar in 2008, is a successful biodiversity conservation initiative, rainwater harvesting, stream-water rejuvenation and forest regeneration project. Tourists can visit the area and witness the positive environmental changes the project has brought there,” he said.
Describing BasCon as a “mosaic of adventure, culture and rural tourism,” the festival’s organizing secretary, Karyom Basar, said that through the event the GRK aims at “tapping the potential and empowering the rural communities, besides preserving the rich flora, fauna and tradition of the area.
“We have invited groups of over 20 tribes, who will be showcasing their traditions, cuisines, arts and music at the festival,” Karyom informed.
