GUWAHATI, Jan 16 ? Heavy crowds continued to throng the Brahmaputra Beach Festival on its last day today. An estimated 40,000 people today visited Andheri Dhuli a 2.5 km stretch of silvery sand in the midst of the mighty Brahmaputra, the venue of the four-day-long festival organised by the Assam Boat Racing and Rowing Association. Besides the regular events like para-sailing, horse-rides, craft bazar, North-east food festival, fireworks display etc. today?s attractions included traditional boat race, ?nao-khel geet? Bihu and Karbi dance.
And as the befitting finals to the festival, signing legend Dr Bhupen Hazarika will be performing late in the evening. Traditional songs and dances of the North-east, vocals by Anindita Baruah, Munin Baruah and others, a traditional and Indian fashion show, Beach Race with DJS Sanjay Dutta and Conrad Wilson were some other programmes slated for the evening. Adding to the list of dropped events, the much-awaited elephant race also did not take place today. It may be mentioned that leaving out several items like micro-light aircraft flying, bungee jumping, power hang-gliding, water sports etc. had already robbed much of the lustre from the festival. Still, people have taken the occasion as a good opportunity for a nice outing and thronged the festival in thousands.
Taher Ahmed, the vice-president of the organisers? association, today said, buoyed by the response of the people, they would strive to make it on a bigger scale the next time. Admitting that the scope for a lot of improvement was there, he said. ?We are still in a nascent stage and a more professional attitude was the need of the hour?. On the poor turnout of foreign tourists, he said a more aggressive publicity drive was needed to lure them, although ?we did contact the foreign embassies and all the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) centres in the country, providing them with brochures and other publicity materials?. Stating that right now their emphasis would be get the festival included in the National Tourism calendar as that would be a major step forward in attracting foreign tourists, he said co-operation from all concerned including the Government, NGOs and the people was necessary to make the festival a grand success.