The second edition of the Rising Sun Water Fest has been flagged off in the city of Guwahati. Themed Revisiting Saraighat, the 2nd Rising Sun Water Fest Revisiting Saraighat aim to remember the brave soldiers of the Battle of Saraighat. The event is underway in the Deepor Beel, a massive water body on the edge of Guwahati city.
The event aims to host multiple water sports in the water body in the coming days. These include disciplines including rowing, sailing and other events across multiple categories. And participants from different parts of the country have visited the city to take part in these events. Also, the organizers will host all the events over four days from November 17 to November 20.
The Indian Army has organised the 2nd Rising Sun Water Fest Revisiting Saraighat along with the state government of Assam. It aims to shed light on the historic Battle of Saraighat fought between the Ahoms and the Mughals. The comparatively smaller Ahom military defeated the mighty Mughal empire on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. The Ahom soldiers under the lead of General Lachit Borphukan successfully stopped the Mughals from crossing the Brahmaputra.
With the increase in the number of participants, this event is all set to become the premier water sports event in Northeast India. Also, the Umiam lake near Shillong hosted the first edition of the Rising Sun Water Fest. This edition too saw a large number of participants including those from multiple water sports clubs of the country.
But the organizing of this event in the protected area has drawn flank from several circles of environmentally aware citizens. One must also note that the Deepor Beel is one of the three Ramsar Sites of Northeast India. It has a rich and unique biodiversity of aquatic and avian species. The water body also becomes a pit-stop for thousands of migratory birds which visit the water body in winter. The experts pointed out that this is the start of the arrival of the birds and this event will hamper the visitors.
