Union Minister Sonowal hosts 'Me-Dam-Me-Phi' festival; pays respects to ancestors

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday hosted ''Me-Dam-Me-Phi'', a festival of Assam's Tai Ahom community to worship and pay respect to the ancestors, at his official residence here.

Several Union Ministers, MPs, diplomats of Thailand and Laos besides hundreds of Assamese community members living in Delhi-NCR attended the day-long event.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said the pious occasion gives an opportunity to pay respect to the ancestors and express gratitude for the rich heritage that they left behind, according to a press release.

''It is a wonderful occasion when we have all gathered here to celebrate this wonderful festival of Tai Ahom community for the peace and prosperity of the humanity. I extend my sincere gratitude to all who came to join this prayer today. I also take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you, including everyone in Assam where it is celebrated widely by people from all communities,'' he said.

Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy, Rameshwar Teli, Mahendrabhai Munjpara, Shripad Yesso Naik, Shantanu Thakur, Ambassador of Thailand Pattarat Hongtong, Deputy Ambassador of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) Keo Sendavong, renowned historians Jogendra Nath Phukan, Ramesh Borpatra Gohain among others attended the event, the release said.

'Me-Dam-Me-Phi' is celebrated by the Tai Ahom community of Assam to worship and pay respect to the ancestors seeking their divinity with the god. The 'Me' means offerings, 'Dam' means ancestors and 'Phi' means god.

Those who attended the event also prayed for the peace and prosperity of the humanity. The festival is celebrated every year on January 31 across Assam.

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