Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva (SSS) celebrated a unique event ‘Nagaon
Friendship Day’ on January 5, 2014 in Nagaon. The event honored a few
individuals contributing to Sankari culture. It also highlighted the
egalitarianism and universal brotherhood preached by Srimanta Sankaradeva. A
Friendship Walk took place in the Nagaon town on that morning. There were
display of different facets of Sankari culture like Gayan-Bayan, Naam-Kirtan,
Bhaona, Mask, Diha-Naam, Thiyanam, Sattriya Nritya etc in the walk. Several
social organizations including Batadrava Than, Asom Sattra Mahasabha, Srimanta
Sankaradeva Sangha, Sutradhaar and Kalang Kala Kendra took part in the Walk.
The participants of the Walk later took a pledge. The pledge was : I take a vow
to do my best to uphold and spread the legacy bequeathed by Srimanta Sankaradeva.
I will tell my non-Assamese friends about the life and works of Srimanta
Sankaradeva. I will see at least one Bhaona every year. I will read at least two
books about life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva in the current year. The
pledge was administered by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, the President of Society
for Srimanta Sankaradeva (SSS).
The walk was followed by the Felicitation meeting in Shahid Bhavan which was
presided over by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti. Eleven artisans engaged in
preservation of Sankari culture were felicitated. They were Sri Dharmakanta
Mahanta, Raidangia, Nagaon (Guru Asan construction), Sri Thuleswar Barua,
Bardowa, Nagaon (Kuhila product making), Sri Shishuram Barua, Bardowa, Nagaon (Kuhila
product making), Sri Madhav Das, Nagaon (Khol making), Sri Rakhal Das, Nagaon (Khol
making), Sri Nityananda Goswami, Kuji Sattra, Marigaon (Kuhila product making,
Khol making, Fireworks preparation), Sri Kaliram Bora, Bheleuguri, Nagaon (Kali
playing), Sri Jadab Chandra Mahanta, Titabor (Sanchipat preparation, Mask
making, Ink making, Costume making), Sri Bishnuram Handique, Jorhat (Sanchipat
preparation, Ink making), Sri Girish Chandra Mahanta, Charing, Sivasagar (Mask
making) and Sri Devakanta Hazarika, Puranigudam, Nagaon (Mask making). They were
given offered financial assistance of Rs 5,000 each.
There were Ankiya play song recital by Dipankar Goswami, Gayan-Bayan performance
by the team of Pratap Das and Sattriya Nritya recital by Meenakshi Medhi,
Lakhimi Mahanta and Misimi Mahanta in the function. Sri Debananda Deva Goswami (Sattradhikar
of Narowa Sattra and President of Batadrava Than), Rini Kakati (UK), Sri
Jibeswar Deva Goswami (General Secretary of Asom Sattra Mahasabha), Kailas Das (Srimanta
Sankaradeva Sangha) and Ankur Bora (USA) attended as guests of honor. There was
also an exhibition-cum-sale of Sanchipat art, Mask, Kuhila products and the
Society’s publications. The event was sponsored by several non-resident
Assamese. They were Wahid Saleh, Lansingerland, Netherland, Krishanu Kaushik,
Detroit, USA, Dr Sanjib Bhuyan, New Jersey, USA, Dr Binoy Kr Bordoloi, New
Jersey, USA, Dr Nripen Barua, New Jersey, USA, Dr Arvind Phukan, Washington,
USA, Debojit Bora, California, USA, Ankur Bora, Dallas, USA, Rini Kakati,
London, UK, Debojit D. Chowdhury, California, USA and Dr Sapna Bora, California,
USA.
This is actually a long-term project of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva. The
first phase was carried out in Jorhat a few months ago, on May 5, 2013. The
Society will continue its effort to bring the artisans to the limelight, it was
stated by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, the SSS President. About three hundred
distinguished citizens of Nagaon attended the event.