In a remarkable display of tradition and
unity, 721 Karbi men from Bokolia, Karbi Anglong, set a new Guinness World
Record by engaging in the traditional sport of Kengdongdang, a stilt-walking
race. The event took place at the Bokolia Bypass near Diphu, the headquarters
of central Assam’s Karbi Anglong.
Participants walked in a single line
covering a distance of 2 km for 10 minutes, surpassing the previous benchmark
of 250 people. Rishi Nath, the official adjudicator of the Guinness Book of
World Records, confirmed the new record for the longest line of people walking
on stilts and presented a certificate of acknowledgment to Tuliram Ronghang,
the Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).
Organized as part of the 50th Karbi
Youth Festival in collaboration with the Karbi Cultural Society, the event
showcased the traditional sport on a global platform. Tuliram Ronghang
expressed pride in taking their traditional sport to the world stage and
highlighted the Karbi people’s dedication to preserving traditional sports like
Kengdongdang.
The feat gained significance as it
surpassed the previous stilt-walking record, held by a group of 956 people in
Sweden, with the Karbi participants achieving the record in a single-line
formation.
Dilip Kathar, a central committee member
of the Karbi Cultural Society, emphasized the uniqueness of the achievement and
the significance of showcasing Karbi traditions on an international level.
