News & Notes
15th Raseshwar Saikia Barbayan sattriya ceremony

The 15th Raseshwar Saikia Barbayan Sattriya Bota Award ceremony
2023, organised by Sangeet Sattra in honour of its Founder Principal, Adhyapak
Raseshwar Saikia Barbayan, was held alongside the annual music and dance
festival at the Sri Sri Madhabdeva International Auditorium in Guwahati.
The three-day festival featured powerful performances,
commemorating the visionary recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. As a
former bhakat (monk) and Muktar of the Kamalabari Sattra (monastery), he aimed
to put Sattriya on India's cultural map and extend its reach.
The Hon'ble Governor of Assam and other dignitaries
inaugurated the event with grandeur. The legacy, carried forward by his
talented dancer-daughters Ranjumoni and Rinjumoni Saikia, began with an
instrumental ensemble, Upaj.
Upaj,
performed by a group of young musicians, was a notable success. They were led
by Raja Boruah (Pradyut Prakash Boruah), a renowned percussionist involved in
over 20,000 recordings, and ace Khol player Arunabh Jyoti Malakar, grandson of
Maestro Rasheswar Saikia Barbayan. The musicians' training, sincerity, and
skill, combined with the sounds of khol, djembe, and darbuka by Arunabh Jyoti,
violin by Ripunjit Borah, and flute by Nabajit Saikia, created a harmonious
experience. The ensemble also featured a tambourine, ghungroo (bells), long
brass chimes, and bortaal (large brass cymbals), enhancing the artists' melody
and understanding.
The Hon'ble Governor of Assam conferred the award to Shashadhar Acharya, a distinguished Chhau artist from Jharkhand, representing the 15th generation in the family of traditional artists of the Seraikella Chhau dance. Shashadhar is also an eminent scholar and a performing artist of Sattriya music and dance. Eminent scholar Karuna Borah from Assam, was the other awardee, an avid researcher of traditional dances of Assam and performing artiste of Sattriya music and dance holding a Master’s degree in Assamese literature and a B.Ed. The performance segment commenced with a devotional fervour with the Chorus Borgeet Kanai bina rupasiya penned by Madhavdeva, set to raga Boradi and taal Pari and sung by Gautam Bayan, Prangopal Das, Deba Shankar Barman, Nityananda Deka and Diganta Das.
Rinjumoni
Saikia, the maestro's younger daughter, is a senior teacher and a delightful
Sattriya and Kathak dancer. Her recital began with the Krishna Bandana, Bhaje
vrajaika mandanam samasta paapa khandanam. The Krishnashtakam was set to
raga Vrindavani Sarang in Sattriya taal Thukuni (3 matras). This was followed
by a pure lasya composition, number three, sub-form Ramdani of the rajaghariya
chali where her technical skills came to the fore. She concluded with the
Borgeet - Krishnaroop barnan from a part of Ankiya Nata, composed by
Madhavdeva set to ragas Shri and Kalyan and talas, Suta and Jaman and later
Pari and Ektal . In the Barpetia theonaam (Jhuna Naam) piece, Rinjumoni
impressed the audience with her soulful abhinaya as Yashoda. Able vocal support
from Prangopal Das, the music composer, Dhrubajyoti Pathak on the khol, Arunabh
Jyoti Malakar and Ripunjit Borah on the taals(rhythm) and Nabhojit Saikia on
the flute along with Rinjumoni's choreography is praiseworthy.
Acclaimed
Odissi dancer Kavita Dwivedi has earned rave reviews for her recitals. Her
entry with Om namoh Sivaya initiated her classical elegance, infusing
grace and vigour in her Siva Panchakshara stotra with the music
composition of Suresh Kumar Sethi. Capturing the technical training and fluency
of expression of her father and guru Harekrishna Behera, her combination of
lasya and tandava style in the lyrics of her own choreography came alive with
elan. With the concept of Ardhanareshwar, the lyrics differed from the
often-heard stotram. Two memorable moments to luxuriate were the hastas
portraying the lines Mandakini Salila and the depiction of samudra
manthan.
The
inaugural evening concluded with a group dance presentation by the students of Sangeet
Sattra. Five senior-most students, Juri Das, Himasri Kolita, Elizi Ojah,
Avantika Choudhury and Nishita Parashar,
their well-coordinated execution gave a wave nature to this item. At the
same time, the sideways showed perfect geometry. Accomplished musicians from
the institution gave excellent support, and Abani Chowdhury ably compared the
evening.
With
the khol badan of a large group of students (both boys and girls) of Sangeet
Sattra under the music direction of Manju and Jeetumoni Borah, the second
evening presented its Sangeet Vaswar Award, an event in memory of the young
talent Tanmoyee Bordoloi. The awardees for the year 2023 were - senior Sattriya
artist and teacher Sabita Saikia and dancer and choreographer Bhanu Deka.
Gunidra
Nath Ojah is a descendant of Lakshana Ojah, belonging to the Ojah clan of
Barpeta Sattra. It was a privilege to hear him present Saint Sankadeva's
Borgeet in raga Natmallar, the uncommon Naokhelar geet, in Paritaal and the
famous Madhura Murati Muraru in his own inimitable style replete with
andolans and meedhs.
Chetan
Joshi opened his flute recital with a short alaap of Bihagda in vilambit,
composed by his guru, Raghunath Seth. Joshi mentioned that it is a blend of
Khamaj and Bihag with two nishads in Roopak tala (7 matras). Then he moved on
to madhya laya, traversing through his guru Bholanath Prasannaji's taans. A
perfect performer that he is, a surprise came as he invited other flautists in
the auditorium to accompany him on stage while he desired to play a drut Teen
taal bandish composed by him, with Arunabhjyoti Malakar on the khol. His
refined technique was projected in Raghunathji's Bhatiyali.
Renowned
dancer Seuj Priya Borthakur Goswami, a recipient of Ustad Bismillah Khan
Puraskar, trained under his father-in-law, Akademi Ratna, Jatin Goswami, needs
no introduction for her fine stage presence, be it in dancing or acting.
With special training in Deodhani dance from Lalit Chandra Nath Ojah, it was
natural that her opening number Hey Gopal infused with Ojahpali elements,
was a visual pleasure. She presented herself as a Kalahantarika nayika (Radha)
in Sankaradeva's Keligopal through Ankiya Nata, with music composition by
Gunakar Deva Goswami and Dhrubajyoti Baruah.
Accompanying
the flute of Nabajit Saikia and refrain of Bharadwaj Amritaprabha Mahanta's
Kalahantarika Bhabey Seujpriya portrayed – a segment from the Ankiya
Bhaona Keligopal, excelling in her skill and ability.
The
choreography by the seasoned and sensitive dancer was replete with clarity of
movements. Jatin Goswami compositions Krishna bina shreshtha keho nahi
(Krishna is the best) and Krishna Debo Dukkho Hari (Krishna will offer
relief from sorrow) were animatedly interpreted to attract the audience's
attention. As Radha, she merged with the musicians' fine musical support,
including Anchal Dutta on the violin and Dhrubajyoti Baruah on the khol.
The
brightly clad, well-trained group from Bharati Vidyapeet School of Performing
Arts (a Deemed University) Pune gave a good account of themselves in dramatising
the popular song Pekhu madano gopal, O sakhi. The online student of
Ranjumoni Saikia, Kavita Nath from California, who took the stage next has
grasped the basics of the Sattriya nritya well and showed promise in her
presentation of a short pure dance item followed by the popular song Ogo
sakhi pekho madana gopal. The final presentation was an enjoyable Hey
Krishna Basudeva Devakinandan by the tiny tots of Sangeet Sattra.
Sankardeva's Borgeet by the students of Sangeet
Sattra ushered in the concluding evening with a devotional fervour. A
researcher, a sub-editor of Ajir Asom, and also trained in the complexities of
khol-playing under Jatin Goswami, Kusha Mahanta began his recital with Roopak
taal and then offered a striking presentation of Pari taal. Rupunjit Borah's
violin support added an extra edge to his presentation.
Elizi
Ojah, a seasoned dancer and Sattriya practitioner, began her dance training
under guru Raseshwar Saikia and later emerged as a performer under the guidance
of Rinjumoni and Ranjumoni Saikia. Elizi began her invocatory Bandana with a
Krishna Bandana, set to the ever popular sloka Kasturi tilakam lalata
pataley. Switching on to the pure dance Hajowali Number One Chali
Nach in Taal Thukuni and Taal Suta, she engaged the audience with the
seamless presentation of the otherwise uncommon piece. The response from the
discerning audience was overwhelming for her interpretation of the performance
text in her concluding impassionate and captivating portrayal of the 'laya-lasya
roop' of the Vasaksajjika nayika as Rukmini, in an excerpt from the
Ankiya Nata Rukhmini Haran set to Ek taal and Sutkala taal.
Anusuya
Dance Academy, Guwahati, is a premier Bharatanatyam institution in Assam that
completed its silver jubilee. It's an all-female, six-member group
performed a 'swara-laya' piece highlighting the architectonic form of
Bharatanatyam set to melodious music. Their concluding Siva-stuti was
delightful imagery of Lord Siva concluding with Hara Hara Siva Siva.
The
seven dancers from Lakhimpur Sattriya Sangeet Bidyalaya started with a Chali
nach of Bara-Ramdani and then performed a Geetar Nach abhinaya from Kaliadaman
Natak, showcasing spirituality and humility.
Next,
twelve dancers from Nrtiyangam, Mangaldai performed a Guru Bandana - Sri
Krishnaya Namoh, followed by Ramdani, and concluded with Sri Sri Madhavadeva's
Borgeet, Soi dekho Dekho Sundara Kanu, set to different talas. Their light
green costumes were also notable.
The
much-awaited dance drama Draupadir bastraharan by the expert senior
members of Sangeet Sattra, based on the game of dice from the Mahabharata, was the crowning piece of
the evening with fine dancing, acting and high-quality music by artists of high
calibre. It successfully built a correlation between the narrative, singing,
and choreography. The stage enhanced the choreographic appeal as the dancers in
two parts, Pandavas and the Kauravas, all clad in dazzling costumes, took
turns to encircle the stage, break into an introductory 'pravesh nach' together
and then stand face to face, ready for the game. Accompanying musicians were
Ripunjeet Borah on the violin, Nabajit Saikia on the flute, Kangkan Jyoti
Saikia on the taals (rhythms), with Prangopal Das in his melodious voice on the
vocals on the harmonium and the assistant director.
The
award festival concluded with a variety of Sattriya numbers like Dasavatar,
Nadubhangi nach, Chali Nach, and Gopi Nach by a large group of Sangeet Sattra
students, from beginners to older ones.
Photo Courtesy :Sangeet Sattra