Assam minister of state for health and family welfare, Pijush Hazarika inaugurated the festival at Golf Course in Umrangsu.

The three-day Falcon Festival kicked-off from Saturday with cultural programmes, sports and stalls selling ethnic handloom and cuisines.

Assam minister of state for health and family welfare, Pijush Hazarika inaugurated the festival at Golf Course, Umrangsu in south Assam’s Dima Hasao district.

The festival is being organized by the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) to spread awareness about the need to provide safe passage to Amur falcons.

Amur falcons from Siberia and China make a stopover at Umrangso en route to Africa in October and November every year.

The Amur falcon ( Falco amurensis), a small raptor of the falcon family, covers one of the longest migration routes and arrives in Assam from eastern Siberia and northern China en route to Africa.

The festival was inaugurated in presence of NHAC CEM Debolal Gorlosa, MLA BB Hagjer, chairperson Ranu Langthasa and other dignitaries and officials.

Earlier due to lack of awareness, these migratory birds were killed by locals for consumption and sale.

After organizing awareness campaign to provide safe passage to the migratory birds by the forest department, NGOs and social activists, the killing has been stopped.

Minister Hazarkia inaugurated ethnic stores where different communities living in the district displayed their traditional attires and ethnic cuisines.

The festival also displayed houses of different tribes residing in Dima Hasao district.

The festival will host musical nights with performances by Papon, Subasana Dutta (Assam), Catherine Khiangte (Mizoram), Family Tree (Assam) and Feli Fanai (Mizoram).

On the third day of the festival, a fashion show by international models will be held followed by a musical extravaganza that will be performed by bands like Motherjane (Kochi), Spreading Roots (Assam) and Induscreed (Mumbai).

The festival also hosts sports events like zorbing, hot air balloon, repelling, parasailing, rafting, kayaking and zip lining.