The Arunachal Pradesh government is producing several plays to honour the unsung heroes of the freedom movement.

As a part of the initiative, several plays on the unsung heroes would be premiered at a week-long theatre festival, which would begin on February 13 to mark the 37th Statehood Day celebrations on February 20.

President Draupadi Murmu is likely to grace Statehood Day this year.

“As India celebrates 75 years of its Independence, it is essential that every part of the nation joins the celebration by honouring and celebrating the unsung heroes that sacrificed their lives for the nation,” project director of the theatre production Riken Ngomle said.

“It is important that we also recognise and remember the heroes of our state, especially those who have not been given the due recognition they deserve,” he added.

Ngomle said three plays will be showcased during the festival that will be held at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Center.

These plays are ‘Chowpha-Plang-Lu: The Sadia Khwa Gohain’ (The Tai Khamti Revolution of 1839), ‘War Cry of the Mountains: by Matmur Jamoh, the Abor hero’ (The Anglo-Abor war of 1911-12) and ‘Nyinu 80!’ (The Anglo-Wancho war of 1875).

The Abor Anglo War is one of the most important events in the history of the freedom movement in Arunachal Pradesh. The beautiful and serene Komsing Village rose to prominence when Matmur Jamoh killed British officer Noel Williamson.

The production will tell the tale of Matmur, the Abor hero, and how the Abor expedition came to be, Ngomle said, adding that most of the actors are from the places where the incidents happened, and only a few would be hired from outside the state.

The Chowpha-Plang-Lu production would narrate the tale of migration and uprising of the Tai-Khamtis in 1839, and unravel the story of the Khamto leaders, who migrated from Myanmar and became the ruler of Sadiya in Assam and Thengkhwa in Arunachal Pradesh, Ngomle said.

The ‘Nyinu 80!’ production will highlight how in 1875, the Wanchos resisted a British expedition in Nyinu village in the present-day Longding district and attacked the team, killing about 80 persons. In retaliation, the British sent its troops with advanced artillery and burnt down many villages.

“We are trying to display the authenticity and life history of our unsung heroes through theatre,” Ngomle said. 

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