Assam Gears Up For Grand Bodo Dance Event Ahead Of PM Modi’s Visit On January 17

Guwahati: As Assam celebrates a season of festivals and cultural expression, the Sarusajai Sports Complex has transformed into a vast rehearsal ground where tradition, discipline and pride move in unison. More than 10,000 Bagurumba dancers from the Bodo community are preparing for a historic mass performance on January 17, to be witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The performers—mostly young women—have travelled from 23 districts of Assam, neighbouring West Bengal and Nagaland, and even from Nepal, reflecting the wide cultural footprint of the Bodo people. Since January 12, Sarusajai has echoed with the soft rhythms of Bagurumba music and the coordinated steps of dancers rehearsing from dawn to dusk.

Assam Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah said the scale of the event required meticulous preparation. “Artists from across Assam, neighbouring states and Nepal have been undergoing intensive rehearsals for four consecutive days. These sessions are essential to ensure coordination, discipline and artistic excellence,” Borah said.

According to the minister, rehearsals are being held on January 12, 13, 14 and 15, with January 15 earmarked for the final full run-through. January 16 has been set aside as a rest day to allow performers to recover from the physical demands of the traditional dance form. “After days of rigorous practice, the dancers will be given a full day to rest and recuperate,” Borah added.

The grand performance on January 17 evening is expected to be one of the largest Bagurumba presentations ever staged. Around 9,700 female dancers will perform together, accompanied by nearly 1,500 male musicians from the Bodo community. “It will be a moment of immense pride for Assam and a powerful representation of our cultural heritage before the Prime Minister and other dignitaries,” Borah said.

Bagurumba, often described as the “butterfly dance,” is deeply rooted in the Bodo community’s relationship with nature, expressed through graceful movements and rhythmic beats. On Tuesday, Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly Biswajit Daimary visited the rehearsal venue and encouraged the performers, assuring full cooperation and support.

For many participants, the event carries significance beyond cultural celebration. The Bodo community—one of the oldest indigenous communities of Assam—has a long history of political and social struggle, marked by decades of democratic movements and armed conflict before the signing of the Bodoland Territorial Council accord in 2003 and the Bodoland Territorial Region accord in 2020, both during NDA governments at the Centre.

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During the rehearsals, Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) legislature party leader Durga Das Boro praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Prime Minister Modi for giving national and global visibility to Bodo culture through such spectacles.

Cultural director Rahul Das said elaborate logistical arrangements have been put in place at Sarusajai, including safety measures, rehearsal coordination and accommodation management, to handle the massive gathering of performers.

The Bagurumba event follows earlier large-scale cultural showcases organised by the Assam government, including Bihu and Jhumur dance performances before the Prime Minister. This time, as thousands sway in harmony, Sarusajai is set to become a stage where culture, history and identity converge—offering Assam another defining moment on the national canvas.