Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 6
The chants of Noel, and the message of peace it inadvertently carry along, went live on air for the first time from Nagaland on Friday afternoon. The venue was at the NEZCC ground in Dimapur and the event was the brainchild of the Program Production Center (NE), Doordarshan Guwahati and the North East Zone Cultural Center.
Called the North East Christmas Choral Festival, the event was broadcasted live on television as well on All India Radio network, for two and half hours. The joint venture, in the words of the organizers, was an effort to promote the voice of peace from the North East region.
“North East region of India, represented by eight states – Arunachal (Pradesh), Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura is a treasure trove of music, dance, drama, songs and culture. The folk, classical and traditional forms of music have been preserved. To these have been added the Church Choir and the modern Western music,” remarked the chief guest of the event, Governor Ashwani Kumar.
“It is most appropriate that Christmas Choir Festival is being organized in the month of December, when Lord Jesus Christ was born, and the whole world is celebrating Christmas,” he added.
All the speakers, in their brief addresses, underscored the need to vent the sound of peace from the region. The North East region has seen its fair share of violence and today we need to send out the message of peace, was the message shared.
One choral group from each of the North East states, and a choral group called Serenity, performed on the occasion. Officials informed that the total number of participants was 153 man and woman.
On a slightly disappointing note, viewers watching the Choral Festival live on TV complained that the broadcast was cut short abruptly midway. Doordarshan officials were unavailable for any further information and confirmation.
