The Sattriya Kendra, established in Guwahati as a part of Sangeet Natak Akdemi’s project supporting Sattriya Dance and allied traditions, has been operating since July,2008 and has so far undertaken various activities of sponsoring and promoting Sattriya Dance, Music and Theatre in different places across the country.

Keeping in mind the necessity of bringing Sattriya from the Sattras to a common platform of recognition and promotion, ‘Nritya Parva’ a festival of Sattriya Dance was initiated by Sangeet Natak Akademi,New Delhi since 2001 with the purpose of providing an important platform for showcasing the creative activities by the new talents in the field Sattriya. As a part of Akdemi’s project of supporting Satriya tradition, this special centre, Sattria Kendra at Guwahati began operating from July, 2008 and Sattriya Divas was celebrated on 15th November, 2008 at Sattriya Kendra as a significance for the cultural cognoscenti in Assam. By setting up Sattriya Kendra at Guwahati is conjured up with the fulfillment of long cherished desire of the people of Assam in the form of acceptance of the Sattriya dance as a major tradition of Indian dances by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in its General Council meeting on November 15, 2000 held at Guwahati.

In a short span of time, Sattriya Kendra had organized a first ever seminar on “The role of Young Monks in the Sattriya Tradition and its future” at Sattriya Kendra, Guwahati on 27th November, 2008 to bring a spirit of academic interaction and meaningful dialogues among the Sattriya loving circle and connoisseurs on diverse facts of the Sattra traditions of art and life and Nritya Parva , a four days festival of Sattriya dance, Seminar and photographic exhition at Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati from 4th to 7th January, 2009.

Another important event of Bargeet and Khol playing was held as “Geet Vadya Utsav” from 17th to 19th February, 2009 at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshtra, Panjabari, Guwahati along with seminar on the Bargeet and Khol Playing by eminent scholars.

Again from 24th to 30th March, 2009, Ankia Bhaona Festival was organized with six nos. of Ankia Nat in Brajawali written by the great Vaishnavite Saint Srimanta Sankaradeva and performed by Six nos. of Sattras. The performance was presented within a temporary oval shaped thatched roof in a make belief Namghar and Manikoot. Seminar on Ankia Nat was also organized in the same venue where eminent scholars, Artistes, Sattradhikars have participated with lecture and demonstrations.

It was observed that people have the opportunity to come across a very cordial interactions to mark the significance of all the festivals and seminars organized by Sattriya Kendra since its inception.

The various future activities planned under the Sattriya Kendra’s agenda includes- organizing Seminars on Sattriya dance, Mask making and other allied traditions, Workshops on Sattriya dance, facilitating training programmes etc., sponsoring the Sattriya performance beyond the State and country borders.

Over and above these, a few more Sattras have been in the process of being chosen for financial aid apart from previous four sattras.

In the near future, the Kendra shall work towards publications, recording and documentation of Sattriya & other allied activities. Further, the Kendra hopes to build a Sattriya complex comprising a theatre auditorium, a training centre, seminar hall with other infra structure for recording & screening etc. to serve the meaningful purpose of the Sattriya Project.

 

Sattriya Divas
15 November 2008

The Kendra observed the Sattriya Divas on 15th Nov, 2008 at Sattriya Kendra by a good number of distinguished scholars, artistes and performers. The lighting ceremony of Sattriya Divas of Sattriya Kendra done by Shri Jayant Kastuar, Secretary Sangeet Natak Akademi, Shri Nirmal Kumar Choudhury, Ex Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University,Shri Himangshu Shekar Das, Principal Secretary Finance, Government of Assam, Shri Swapnanil Barua, Secretary Culture, Government of Assam, Shri Jatin Goswami, Sattriya guru and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee, Shri Bhadra Krishna Goswami, President, Sattra Mahasabha,Assam and senior sattriya dancer Smt Indira P.P. Bora, Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee.

 

Seminar
27 December 2008
at Sattriya Kendra Hall

On 27th December, Kendra has successfully organized its first seminar and the subject was ‘The teaching procedure for the child monks in Sattra tradition and its future’. The paper presenter were from different sattras and they are as follows, Shri Sailen Saikia from Natun Kamalabari Sattra, Shri Ghana Kanta Bora Barbaya from Kamalabari sattra, Titabar, Shri Gobinda Saikia from Natun Kamalabari sattra, Shri Naren Barua from Uttar kamalabari Sattra, Shri Sonaram Sarma Borabhakat from Kamalabari Sattra, Titabar, Shri Jivanjeet Dutta from Garamor sattra, Shri Hari saikia and Shri Manik Barbayan from Bhogpur sattra. The purpose of the seminar was to bring a spirit of academic interaction and meaningfull dialogue among the sattra loving circle and Connoisseurs on diverse facts of Sattra traditions. Dr Pradeep Jyoti Mahanta initiated the concluding verdict of the seminar.

 

Nritya Parva
A festival of Sattriya Dance
4-7 January 2009

Nritya Parva 2008 annual festival of Sattriya dance being organized at Guwahati in collaboration with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Govt. of Assam from 4th January to 7th January 2009 at Rabindra Bhavan, Guwahati. The photo exhibition of Nritya Parva was opened by Sri Narayan Chandra Dev Goswami, Sattradhikar, Natun Kamalabari Sattra,Majuli.As wel as the festival was inaugurated by Padmasree Dr. Birendranath Datta. This festival was focused on Young and senior sattriya dancers of Assam. The various performances and discussions during the period of Nritya Parva was a significant approach for the artists, scholars as well as for the art lovers.

 

Geet Vadya Utsav
17-19 February 2009

The Sattriya Kendra organized Geet Vadya Utsav- a festival of Bargeet and Khol at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra from 17th to 19th February 2009. The festival was inaugurated by Shri Ranta Ojah, Vice Chairman, Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati with Shri Swapnanil Barua, Secretary Culture, Government of Assam. This festival was immense significance with an impressive assembly of artists and people connected directly and indirectly with the sattrya traditions for a new step.

 

Seminar
22nd February 2009

On 22nd February 2009 Kendra has organized a seminar on Bargeet and Khol at Sattriya Kendra. Dr Pabitra Pran Goswami spoke on Traditional singing style of Bargeet, Shri Ranjit Mahanta on Ankar Geet and Sattriya Nritya, Shri Paban Bordoloi on Khol presentation in relation to Drama and Shri Mahananda Das Bayan on Rhythmic patterns of Khol playing. The first session of the Seminar was chaired and summing up by Dr. Keshavananda Dev Goswami and the second session was by Dr. Dilip Ranjan Borthakur.

 

Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh
24-30 March 2009

The Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh was one of the outstanding activity of sattriya Kendra held from 24th to 30th March 2009 along with very interesting and positive session of seminar for six days at Srimanta sankardeva Kalakshetra in a temporarily built thatched roof Naamghar. The festival was inaugurated by Sri Narayan Chandra Goswami, sattradhikar, Natun Kamalabari Sattra, Majuli with necessary rituals etc. Six plays of Srimanta Sankardeva was performed in ‘Brajabali’ and chronologically they were performed Kaliya Daman by Barpeta sattra, Ram Bijay by Bar Elengi Bagi Ai Sattra,Patni Prasad by Uttar kamalabari sattra, Keli Gopal by Samaguri Sattra, Rukmini Haran by Baghar ganya Sattra and Parijat haran by Auniati sattra. The very distinguished part of the festival was that the several Sattradhikar’s participation in the entire festival was interestingand it was also observed that the scholars, observers and participating groups from within and out side the state had carried a very positive outcomes. However in view of the positive result the Secretary Sangeet Natak Akademi Shri Jayant kastuar’s presence in the festival has created an avenue for free and informal interaction among the scholar, connoisseurs and artists to think and work for the futuristic movement.

Sponsored Programme by Sattriya Kendra :

1. Shri Ramkrishna Talukdar and his group for Sattriya Dance and Sankar Jyoti Pragati Sangha, Lakhimpur for Gayan Bayan were presented in Octave Festival, Goa and Mumbai. In addition these groups also presented in Mahagami, Aurangabad and Pune University, Pune during the month of February 2009

2. Shri Manik Barbayan and his group presented in Natya Kala Conference at Chennai on 18th December, 2008 for Sattriya Ojahpali.

3. Financial support to Ms Anwesha Mahanta for her performance in India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on 8th January, 2009.