December 16th 2012: It was about the time the sun had positioned low in the western sky to call it a day. My eyes swayed between my wrist watch and the western sky. I was accompanied by my other half, Sailaja, in my small car that kept on speeding on the familiar kind of gravel laid rural road. I was speeding because I had to reach my destination before it grew dark. She kept a control over my speed driving especially on such a road with frequent warnings to slow down. I was late owing to some other preoccupation. My heartbeat grew louder and faster. Oh God if there had been something, we never knew, that could stop the flow of time. At last, the man in the paddy field who was reaping his crop pointed to a distant structure and said “Look at that compound having a house. That is what you are looking for.” Yes my esteemed readers it was my today’s destination, a long standing structure – “GOPAL ATA’S THAN” at Old Bhawanipur, somewhat three kilometers westward from the main Chowk of Bhawanipur at NH 37 of Barpeta District. What feelings did stirred our emotions at that moment when we arrived at the main gate of the compound; we just cannot express it in words. It’s a beautifully placed area amid paddy fields with a soothing, divine serenity that can make your mind and soul free of all anxieties. ... more
Srimanta Sankaradeva is regarded as the “Jagatguru”(Lord of the Universe) and “Mahapurush”(the great man or super human being) by the Assamese people. In fact he was the greatest Vaishnavite saint of Assam. Sankaradeva was responsible for ushering into Assam a wave of the new Vaishnavite(Bhakti) movement which flooded practically the whole of India.... more
মহাপুৰুষ শ্ৰীমন্ত শঙ্কৰদেৱে প্ৰৱৰ্ত্তন কৰা নৱ-বৈষ্ণৱ ধৰ্মৰ ধৰ্মীয় অনুষ্ঠান দুটিৰ এটি হৈছে নামঘৰ আৰু আনটি হৈছে সত্ৰ। আমাৰ আলোচ্য বিষয় হৈছে নামঘৰ। শঙ্কৰদেৱৰ ধৰ্ম প্ৰচাৰৰ কেন্দ্ৰস্হল হৈছে এই নামঘৰ। এই নামঘৰক কেন্দ্ৰ কৰিয়েই গুৰুজনাৰ প্ৰৱৰ্ত্তিত ‘একশৰণ হৰি নামধৰ্ম’ বা ‘ভাগৱতী ধৰ্ম’ ই হিন্দু সমাজত প্ৰচাৰ আৰু প্ৰসাৰতা লাভ কৰি বৰ্ত্তি থাকিবলৈ সক্ষম হৈছে। গুৰজনাই প্ৰথমে নগাঁৱৰ বৰদোৱা(বটদ্ৰৱা) ত নামঘৰ প্ৰতিষ্ঠা কৰিছিল। ক্ৰমে অসমৰ সৰ্বত্ৰতে তেখেতৰ আদৰ্শৰে নামঘৰ গঢ় লৈ উঠে। নামঘৰত সাধাৰণতে চাৰিটা প্ৰধান অংশ বা ঘৰ থাকে। এইকেইটা হৈছে – নামঘৰ বা কীৰ্ত্তন ঘৰ,মণিকূট,ছোঁ ঘৰ আৰু বাটচ’ৰা। ... more
One GOBINDA ATOI, a disciple of Mahapurusha SriSri Madhabdeva at Barpeta Sattra, once at midnight, was bitten by a deadly poisonous Cobra. For Gobinda Atoi a Bez (a knowledgeable person who treats patients with locally available herbal medicines in traditional way) was uncalled for and he resorted to NAAM KIRTAN, the Holy holistic way to recover himself from the effects of snakebite. Miraculously Gobinda Atoi got a speedy recovery from this dangerous state through prayer and recital of Holy Songs (NAAM KIRTAN) of God. Later when Gobinda Atoi once visited HEREMAD, people there reported to the king about the incident of snakebite and how Gobinda Atoi had recovered himself from the effect of snake poison. The King Heremeswar then played a trick. ... more
Translation of a Bargeet(Kharachandra Geet)
RAAG-Dhanashri, Taal-Porital
DHRUNG-Re Hui Gupal Piyaru Meri Prano Adharu ।
Modhupuri Rohe Dohe Jiu Hamaru ।।
PODE-Gukuloko Maniko Kanu Nowa Nidhi ।
Hate Horolo Nikoruno Bangkobidhi ।।
Saando Bine Royoni Hojoni Kisu Nuhe ।
Hori Bine Birinda Bipino Nahi Huhe ।।
[Reproduced from https://atributetosankaradeva.org with thanks]
Hail Krishna, Vishnu Achyuta, the Supreme Lord.
Mounted on the shoulders of Garuda, he struck down his
enemy.
In his joyful lila the son of Devaki
carried off the parijata flower for the sake of his beloved.
Victory to Krishna.... more
Translated by Dr. Satyendranath Sarma
[Reproduced from https://atributetosankaradeva.org with thanks]
A complete translation of the above named play, minus its verse portions which are meant to be sung in appropriate rāgas, is given below. The verse portions are metrical renderings of the prose dialogue and Sutradhāra’s commentaries.... more
[Reproduced from https://atributetosankaradeva.org with thanks]
Jaya Guru Sankara / sarva-gunākara /
yākeri nāhike upām:
Tohāri caranaka / renu satakoti /
bāreka karoho pranām.... more
The term nayika or heroine is widely used in the world of fine arts and the concept finds application in films, dance, painting & sculpture and drama.... more
[Adapted from https://atributetosankaradeva.org with thanks]
Chapter
'Haramohana' (2nd Kirttana)
Pada
Namo Namo Madhava vidhira vidhidata
Tumi Jagatara gati-mati pita mata
Tumi paramatma jagatara esha eka
Eku bastu nahike tumaka byatireka-9
Tumi karya karana samasta sarasara... more
by Gauri Sankar Borah
Lord Krishna must have been the first to use the word Sarana (lit., shelter) for initiation in Geeta (18/66). But we feel that Srimanta Sankaradeva's use and application of it was quite his own. It is as appropriate as it is unique. ... more
by Dr. Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti
Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449-1568 AD), the patron saint of the Assamese people was a social reformer besides being the founder of a new religious order Eka Sarana Nama Dharma. He used the tool of culture to preach his socio-religious ideology.... more
Four ways of reaching Truth, as recognized in Indian tradition are : Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Raja yoga. ... more
by Nataraj Das
The Prelude:
The Bhortaal Nritya is one of the unique creations of Barpeta Sattra.... more
by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti
The North East India was known for different ethnic conflicts when Srimanta Sankaradeva was born here in the fifteenth century. Those ethnic groups were Karbi, Ahom, Kachari, Chutiya, Naga, Manipuri Meitei, Koch, Mising,... more
by Dr. Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti
Srimanta
Sankaradeva founded a distinct and new philosophy, which had some
unique characteristics. He founded a new Vaishnavite order within the Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism.... more
The cultural assets created by Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva are precious. They are treasure house for Assamese community. Bargeet and Ankiya geet are two gems of that treasure.... more
Compiled by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti
Important Books and Articles about Life, Works and Philosophy of Srimanta Sankaradeva... more
by Hari Prasad Hazarika
The beginning of the twentieth century saw the onset of a different type of movement in Assam. It was a movement of search for truth, where some revolutionary intellectuals took the leadership.... more
by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti
Enactment of the Ankiya plays authored by Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva is calledBhaona. Many plays have been written since then by different Assamese playwrights in the style of theAnkiya plays composed by these two doyens of Assamese literature and culture.... more
by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti
Srimanta Sankaradeva, the father of Assamese nation, was an extra-ordinary person, who excelled in almost all areas of knowledge. His contributions not only made the foundations of Assamese literature, culture and social structure, but also established the super-structures thereupon.... more