What I propose to submit in this lecture is an analysis from my point of view about medieval Indian theatre, supported by evidence in the realm of different Indian traditions. I will certainly revise my views in the light of new elements, which come to my sight. I will have to analyse different traditions minutely …
Place of Ankiyā Bhāonā in the medieval Indian Theatre Read More »
Saint Srimanta Sankaradeva, who lived from 1449 to 1568 AD founded the Vaishnavite order Eka Sarana Nāma Dharma. He preached devotion to the supreme entity, lord Krishna. All devotees of that supreme entity are considered as equal entities in his order. It was a classless and casteless social order that the saint preached. All devotees received …
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. It goes without saying that all contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva bear his marks distinctively. His influence was …
Originality of Srimanta Sankaradeva’s contributions Read More »
Art is a way of expressing one’s ideas in aesthetically appealing forms. These include sculptures, paintings, masks, carvings, murals, illustrations etc. It was therefore quite natural that Srimanta Sankaradeva, the father of Assamese literature and culture used this medium to a large extent for his proselytizing activities. The Kirtanghar established by him came to be embellished …
The performance of the Ankiyā plays authored by Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva is known as Bhāonā. Many plays have been written since then by different Assamese playwrights in the style of the Ankiyā plays composed by these two doyens of Assamese literature and culture. But these later compositions are not called Ankiyā play. So Ankiyā …
Symbolism is a style of representing any particular idea by using symbols. These symbols are endowed with additional meanings apart from their literal meaning. Symbols enable reader or audience to grasp something beyond what is traditionally conveyed by the symbols. The symbol communicates something beyond itself. A symbol is a visible object with which the …
The Thân or Sattra institution is a living heritage bequeathed to the posterity by Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449 AD – 1568 AD). Unlike most heritages, which are long dead, the Thân or Sattra institution continues to be a vibrant one. Earlier, it was known only as Thân. Later on the name Sattra also came to be used. The …
Than & Sattra institution : a living heritage of Sankaradeva legacy Read More »
Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449-1568), the founder of the Vaishnavite order Eka Sarana Nāma Dharma was a multi-faceted person whose works had different dimensions. In spite of being a religious preceptor, he included aesthetic activities like Sattriyā dance, Bargeet song, Sankari music, Ankiyā plays, painting and sculpture in his scheme of things. Needless to say, all these …
Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449-1568 AD) was an important personality in the annals of history. He was not only a religious preceptor, but also a social reformer, who sanskritized the ethnic groups of the volatile North East India and assimilated them with the national main-stream of Bharatavarsha through the tools of culture as well as philosophical perspective. …
Assam had a rich tradition of Assamese folk theatrical elements, though not exactly full-fledged theatre, for several milleniums. Full-fledged Assamese theatre came into being in the medieval times. In fact there had been no full-fledged theatre in any modern Indian languages at all before the advent of Srimanta Sankaradeva in the fifteenth century. It was …
Evolution of Assamese Theatre (with special reference to Ankiyā Bhāonā) Read More »
Location: Nagaon, Assam, India
