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It is also home to 40 per cent of India's water, and 30 per cent of its oil. Many claim that the money made from these resources benefits the Indian federal government, but not Assam itself. Since the Indian army took up residence in 1989, ULFA have been fighting for an independent Assam, and with it, control of its natural resources.

Boxing legend MC Mary Kom added yet another feather to her already illustrious cap by winning the gold medal at the World Championships in New Delhi. She became the most successful female boxer by bagging her sixth world title after she beat Ukraine's Hanna Okhota in the 48kg final by unanimous decision. "This is my everything, boxing is my life," Mary Kom said speaking to India Today.

It is filmed during the threshing of Paddy, music is the heart of the documentary. The silence of their surroundings is not something the residents enjoy as much as we would like to believe. The quiet of the forest and the daily grind of making ends meet with impossibly low means, is probably what makes them sing. When they are singing, they are a whole, if someone misses a word, someone else picks it up and so on.

A variety of communities live in #Sikkim, each contributing to the performing arts of the region. There are the #Lepchas- the earliest settlers of Sikkim. Then there are the #Bhutias- mainly descendants of the early settlers from Tibet and Bhutan and finally the #Nepalis who came from Nepal and settled in Sikkim. Each of these have distinctive repertoire of #folksongs and #dances almost for every social or religious ceremony. Send Your Videos @ ccrtofficial@gmail.. All Copyright Reserved for Centre for Cultural Resources and Training ( Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India )

Crowd wave hands and dance as Mizo singer performs during Chapchar Kut festival, one of the biggest celebration of the Mizo people at Assam Rifle ground in Aizawl, Mizoram.

Mizoram, the land of the beautiful Mizo people, is one of the seven sister states of North-east India. One of the oldest festivals of the Mizos held annually in the first week of March is Chapchar Kut, also known as the spring festival of the Mizos.

It is celebrated after the completion of their most laborious task of Jhum i.e. clearing of land through burning. Many people from different parts of the country visit Aizawl to witness and take part in the celebrations.

During the time of festivity, young men get busy preparing the designated place for the celebrations. Young women get busy beautifying themselves. The elderly are busy sitting under the warm spring sun and recollecting their younger days while children are busy running around excited and getting in the way of everybody else. After everything is prepared, the dancing and singing begins.

Some of the famous traditional dances performed during the festivals include ‘Khuallam’ dance, which literally means 'Dance of the Guests'. This dance is performed mainly on the arrival of important guests at the festival. The traditional hand woven Mizo cloth known as ‘Puandum’ is wrapped over the shoulders of the performers and the dance is performed by swaying the cloth.

Another dance that embodies the spirit of joy and excitement is the Chheihlam dance. The dance is performed to the accompaniment of a folk song sung by a local singer, indeed one of the favorite dances. It is interesting to see a large percentage of people present in the audience join in the dance eventually!

Chailam dance is another popular dance performed on the occasion of 'Chapchar Kut'. In this dance, men and women stand alternately in circles, with the women holding on to the waist of the man, while the man places his hand on the women's shoulder. In the middle of the circle are the musicians who play the drums and a mithun's horn.

The dance performed in large groups - Chawnglai zawn dance, is another important dance of the Mizos. Boys and girls standing in rows dance to the beat of drums.

Tlanglam is one of the most popular dances performed in various parts of Mizoram. Men and women both take part in this dance.

An impressive dance originating from the Pawi and Mara communities in the southern part of Mizoram is ‘Solokia’ dance also known as the War dance. In this dance, the performers wear colourful dresses while the leader is dressed as a warrior.

A very old and well-known dance, also a pride of the Mizo and the star attraction is Cheraw dance commonly known as the bamboo dance. Girls in colourful Mizo costumes of ‘Puanchei or Kawrchei’ wrap-arounds worn mostly by Mizo women at the waist and especially hand-made headgear known as Vakiria with elaborate jewelry, dance gracefully to the beats of gongs and drums, jumping between long bamboo poles clubbed together by the men sitting on the ground. This dance is now performed at all festive occasions.

Chapchar Kut is now one of India’s most colourful festivals and one that portrays the vibrant tradition and culture of the people of Mizoram. It truly lives up to its tag line – ‘The Mizo festival of Joy’!

Assam is famous for its malty flavoured tea. What is less is well known is that for 28 years a conflict has raged there between the Indian government and the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). An estimated 18,000 people have died during the conflict. ULFA, the biggest of 30 different rebel groups, have been fighting for Assam's independence since the late seventies.

350 people have died in election violence due 23028324 to Assamese slaughtering Bengali immigrants whom they claim are not entitled to vote in the state elections. The last round of voting has been boycotted by half of the population as most opposition parties support the Assamese. Several people are shot by police as they attempt to steal the ballot boxes.

Migrant labour pass their tin canisters and baggage into a bus through the window, in Shillong circa 1991. A Kit Kat advertisement dominates the old bus stand near the office of the Managing Director of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation. A kali-peeli black and yellow Hindustan Ambassador stands by on duty to pick up passengers and an Indian Army truck passes by. Maruti 800 cars dominate as do Tata buses. People crowd around a Shillong to Guwahati bus ticket counter where the man on duty operates an old black and white CRT computer monitor.

Here is the story of how the mightiest of mammals, the elephant is caught. The film shows the difficulties encountered in trapping wild elephants in the thick forests on the banks of the river Kabini in Mysore. Stupendous efforts required for successful operation of the 'Khedda' are vividly explained in the film. Catching the wild elephants is a risky job indeed requiring patience, skill and years of training.

A documentary that looks into the paradox of drinking water scarcity in Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on earth.

The Bodo’s the largest plain tribe live mainly in the Kokrajhar district of Northern Assam and belong to the Tibet Burmese mongoloid group. This Bodos calims to be the original inhabitants of ancient Assam known as Kamrupa. This News Magazine brings out the life & struggle of the Bodo people and their agitation for a separate state of bodyline.

Brahmaputra has various names, depending on which area it flows through. Known as Brahmaputra or Luit in Assam, it is also the source of many legends. Tina Das tells you a few, in this episode of ThePrint #NorthEastParNazar

Documentary Film “#Apatani tribes of Arunachal Pradesh” From the archives of CCRT. ( Produced in 2000 ) Friday, 11 September, 2020 at 11.00am Arunachal Pradesh is a land full of scenic beauty and an abode of rich cultural heritage. The lineage of this rich tradition comes from the cross-section of various tribes that have gathered here over the years. One of the most important of these tribes are the 'Apatani' better known for their fish cum paddy culture. Their beautiful cane and bamboo works are an example of their skilled craftsmanship, equally enchanting are their group dances. All Copyright Reserved for Centre for Cultural Resources and Training ( Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India )

In Manipur, India, CPI documented the magnitude of local games and traditional ceremonies. Manipur literally means “land of the gems” and is a state in northeastern India that also borders Myanmar (Burma). Like other northeastern states, it is largely isolated from the rest of India. Surrounded by nine hills with an oval-shaped valley at the center, Manipur also boosts an all-women market.

Cityscapes' is a six part series on six cities of India representing the diverse nature and histories of cities in India. 'Shillong' shows the influences of the British in its architecture, lifestyle and language, and the attempts of its indigenous people, the Khasis, to revive Khasi traditions. Shillong is the place where the British moved to after they found Cherapunji too wet. They called it 'Scotland of the East'. A multicultural city, Shillong is home to people from both India and Europe. The films attempts to explore the culture of Khasis through interviews, snapshots of indigenous people, reconstruction of legends, traditional dances, architecture, bazaars and documentary footage.