GUWAHATI
The 10th edition of the Ziro Music Festival (ZMF), a mega musical event, began in Arunachal Pradesh’s Ziro on Thursday after a boycott scare.
About 115 km from the State capital Itanagar, Ziro is the headquarters of the Lower Subansiri district, largely inhabited by the Apatani community.
The Apatani Students’ Union had threatened to boycott the ZMF alleging that the organisers failed to uphold an “unanimous decision” to feature the “Zero Drug Ziro” campaign logo prominently on all its promotional materials.
The Tanii Supuñ Dukun (TSD), a community-based organisation, mediated to resolve the issue.
“Since both the union and the organisers have been actively involved in the fight against drugs, the bandh called by the students’ union on September 29-30 was withdrawn,” a TSD spokesperson said on Thursday.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who attended the inaugural function of the music festival, attended a plogging and cyclothon programme under a garbage-free India campaign.
“Delighted to be part of Ziro Festival, North East’s iconic celebration. Set against breathtaking landscapes of Ziro, the fest is kaleidoscope of music & arts, community, sustainability and cultural diversity,” the Chief Minister posted on social media platform X.
The ZMF, known for its celebration of music, art, and culture, has gained popularity over the years specifically for its sustainability goals. Locally sourced biodegradable materials are used for the festival in keeping with the core beliefs of the nature-worshipping Apatanis, the organisers said.
The festival, initiated in 2012 by musician Bobby Hano and Menwhopause guitarist Anup Kutty, concludes on October 1.
