24/06/2026
Celebrating Sound and Community at the 2nd Edition of Lotun Ahongkup, this past weekend, Diphu vibrated with creative energy as the community gathered on June 21st, 2026, to celebrate World Music Day in a deeply meaningful way. Brought to the community by the Centre for Karbi Studies and Eh an1 Event, the day was marked by the successful hosting of the 2nd Edition of Lotun Ahongkup: Innovating Karbi Music Workshop, which found its perfect home at Tranquil Valley, Birala, serving as the official venue partner for this inspiring gathering. This World Music Day, we celebrate the power of music to preserve history, carry memory, and bridge generations, and we are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of a vital new publication that documents the unique sonic heritage of Northeast India: History of Karbi Modern Songs, authored by Dharamsing Teron and edited and re-arranged by The'ang Teron. The core mission of the Lotun Ahongkup initiative is to spark critical dialogue and practical innovation within Karbi musical traditions, and this year’s workshop successfully brought together cultural practitioners, music industry professionals, and scholars to discuss the future of these indigenous soundscapes. The event featured an exceptional lineup of speakers and resource persons who shared diverse perspectives on music, journalism, and cultural preservation, including Risim Rongpi (Activist Musician & Event Curator) and Theang Teron (Research Scholar & Musician). Notably, Chandra Kanta Terang (Cultural Activist/ Former MLA/ Veteran Musician) grounded the forum in profound sonic and political depth, drawing from his unique trajectory to illustrate how Karbi musical heritage intersects with regional identity and cultural resistance. Crucial societal perspectives were brought forward by Dr. Aleena Terangpi (Musician & Veterinary Officer), whose remarkable contributions to both music and society highlighted how creative arts can intersect with community welfare, civic duty, and public service to enrich the social fabric. Furthermore, despite his physical absence, Anurag Tagat (Music Journalist and Senior Editor at Rolling Stone India) played a pivotal role in bridging the gaps between the mainstream music industry and local grassroots musicians, delivering his insights via an online video presentation that perfectly exemplified the collaborative spirit of this hybrid workshop. Together, these sessions bridged the gap between grass-roots oral traditions and the global music industry through discussions centered on how traditional Karbi music can be innovated and sustained without losing its political and cultural roots, the role of independent journalism in bringing indigenous artists to wider audiences, and music as a vehicle for community activism. By fostering these conversations, Lotun Ahongkup continues to establish itself as a vital ecosystem for musicians and cultural thinkers in the region, leaving a huge thank you to the organizers, speakers, venue partners, and everyone who attended and contributed to making this World Music Day an unforgettable celebration of living heritage.
