On New Year's Day, rural Khumtai in eastern Assam is in flower.
The flowers compete for attention and consumers during a unique carnival in this region of the Golaghat district, including dahlias, bougainvillaeas, roses, tuberoses, and many more species. A two-day 'flower festival' is beginning at Jugibari Rural Tourism Centre, which will conclude on Sunday and has attracted over 10,000 visitors.
"Flowers grow in abundance in all households here. We want to make the people aware that these can also be a means of livelihood," Khumtai MLA Mrinal Saikia was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.
He claimed that planning began approximately four months ago so that locals would have enough time to participate.
"We had 34 stalls, all of which were reserved months in advance. We were unable to meet many stall demands "Pradyut Khound, a local youth involved with the carnival, agreed, PTI reported.
Over the two days, he added, more than 10,000 people attended the carnival, and saplings worth approximately Rs 10 lakh were sold, the report said.
Renu Saikia said the carnival has enabled her to make a career from what was till now a "mere hobby".
Munmi Konwar, who heads the 20-member women's organisation that operates the tourism centre, said locals used to sell flowers to park visitors from their houses, as stated in the report.
"They didn't make a lot of money back then. However, this carnival has taken on a distinct form. The majority of the stalls are run by locals," she stated.
According to the local legislator, the flower festival is part of a series of programmes aimed at promoting his district as a rural tourism destination.
"Jugibari was already a popular tourist attraction, known for its Jugibeel, which draws many migratory birds. We are attempting to establish a shared platform for locals to profit from through the carnival," Saikia elaborated.
(With Inputs From PTI)