Be it fashion, films, culture or tourism, the Northeast is being promoted like never before. Experts say that creative minds from various fields are contributing to the growth of the state
So far alienated and snubbed, the Northeast region is finally gaining momentum with influential people from different walks of life revising their take on the region. Be it Narendra Modi’s vision to boost the infrastructure of the region or Amitabh Bachchan’s Kohima-related query on Kaun Banega Crorepati or fashion designers initiative to work closely with craftsmen, everything seem to have clicked at the right moment.
When designers like Jenjum Gadi and Atsu Sekhose chose motifs and elements from their native land as their design inspiration it left many marvelling on the unexplored craft of the state. later that year, in one of the fashion weeks, six designers participated with wares made from local materials like eri and muga silk, loom woven mekhlas and tribal fabrics interpreted in Western silhouettes, apart from water hyacinth bags. It was also declared that established designers from the Northeast will work with weavers to train them with contemporary skills. This was couple of years ago and things changed immensely after that, benefiting the craftsmen from the Northeast. Today be it through tribal prints or textiles, the Northeast is an important part of many designers’ collections. “Apart from the fact that the state has rich craft and textiles, this is the time when everything related to the Northeast is being promoted in a big way. We all know about the issues related to the place, so those in the creative industry feel that the only way they can create awareness is through their art,” says Sharmila Bhatia, a former NIFT student working with craftsmen from Assam and Shillong.
In the age of social media, it is impossible for any region to remain isolated. The Northeast grabbed attention on a bad note with the incident of Nido Taniam, a Northeastern student who was killed in Delhi. But it spiralled into generating more awareness and fostering people to people contact. Several people from the other metros took to streets to protest against the untimely death of the young boy and eventually brought the people together. Julie Deb, CEO of Shillong Fashion Week says there’s a better understanding among people that Northeast is an intrinsic part of India, and finally the region is being taken seriously. “From Bollywood, fashion, art, finance to tourism, Northeastern states are being discussed with seriousness. In the recent past, we have seen international channels and broadcasters coming into the dense areas of this region and shoot the diverse legacy. Popular shows like Highway On My Plate shot one episode in Nagaland. Blue chip writers are coming and spending time in streets here. So there’s definitely more curiosity,” she says. Fashion could have been amazing because Northeastern designers are way better at crafting fusion wear. “Western silhouettes are in our blood. Our fusion is flawless. Designers are experimenting with muga and eri silk. In fact, the Ministry of Textiles is promoting the textiles,” she says. The Northeast has come up as an important tourism circuit and with government’s recent plans, the tourism is expected to scale new heights. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlayed Rs 53,706 crore in the Union Budget 2014-15 for the Northeast. While the Rail Budget has allocated an outlay of Rs 5,116 crore, the union Budget has earmarked an additional sum of Rs 1,000 crore. The aim is to bridge the gap that has risen due to under development and a sense of isolation that the region has faced for decades due to lack of proper connectivity. Today, there are some attractive travel packages for the area. The government has eased, over the last few years, the protected area permit (PAP) that was required of foreign tourists heading for Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram. Sharat Dhall, president of Yatra.com says the Northeast is still virgin territory for most travellers. There is also the popular perception that these destinations are now safer and more affordable.
The region has been growing rapidly on various parameters and the next decade will be very good for the Northeast. Overall, the region has been growing economically at the rate of eight per cent in the last decade.