Basar Confluence, A Sustainable Showcase of Tribal Culture
Amongst the 7 sisters of North-East, Arunachal Pradesh has the largest area. Yet, it is the state with one of the lowest population densities in India. Two years ago, I made a 14-day tour of this stunning natural beauty visiting the towns of Basar and Mechuka. While Mechuka’s thrust is to build itself up as an adventure sports destination, Basar prides itself as a showcase of the Galo tribe’s culture, tradition, and heritage. The Galo tribe is one of the 26 scheduled tribes of Arunachal.
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Basar is about 90 km inside the Inner Line (you need an Inner Line Permit or ILP to visit Basar) and about 110 km from the Assam border. It is a town that comprises 32 villages, all Galo. Every year, Galo people, under the auspices of ‘Gumin Rego Kilaju’ (GRK), organise a festival – Basar Confluence or BasCon. This was the third edition of this unique festival, and hence they called it BasCon 3.0.
Basar Confluence 3.0 or BasCon 3.0
This festival stands apart in many ways. For one, Bollywood doesn’t feature here, and that’s a relief. Sustainability is the key theme in all the activities. So, no surprise that it is plastic-free. Galo tribe displayed its culture with gusto for 3 days with over 400 performers and sports persons putting up war and folk dances, traditional Galo singing, showcasing their special-occasion rituals, and some stiffly competed traditional sports like the tug-of-war, archery, and more. Its sheer scale puts some larger event organisers’ efforts to shame, as the local tribesmen put together this entire festival!
To say the initiative of the Galo tribe here floored me would be an understatement. These guys are not just great organisers, they are hospitable, grounded, humble, and replete with a tremendous community feeling. They are not just proud of their traditions but are keeping these traditions alive for their future generations.
Enjoy some glimpses of what I experienced as I tip my figurative hat in deep admiration for the Galo people of Basar!
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