SATRIYA IN FRANCE. YES, the European nation had a rare taste of this classical dance form in the last two months, with enthusiastic participants taking part in workshops across the country. Foremost cultural organisations of the country — Tendanse and Ajna in association with Preserver Majuli — were the brains behind this Satriya showcase in France.

Accomplished Satriya dancer and musician Bhabananda Barbayan, an adhyapak of Uttar Kamalabari Satra of Majuli and the founder of Satriya Dance Academy, New Delhi, had specially flown to France to conduct these workshops. Altogether, four workshops were held from April 17 to May 5 — the first in Rodez; the second in Toulouse, known as the Pink City of France; the third in Montpellier, a coastal city off the Mediterranean Sea and the fourth and the final in Paris, the capital city of France.

The morning-ten-to-evening-six schedule of the workshops had three sessions — mati akhara (ground exercise), abhinaya (expression) and nach (pure dance), followed by a lecture-demonstration on different topics of Satriya. All the participants, the majority being the local French with a some coming from abroad and as far as Columbia, thoroughly enjoyed all the sessions, as they tried their hearts out to learn the delicate moves and intricacies of Satriya.

“It was nice to see all the foreigners evincing a keen interest in this classical dance form,” says Bhabananda Barbayan, who single-handedly conducted these workshops. “One must give credit to their dedication to learn and know more about an alien culture,” he adds, while explaining how the learners put emphasis on perfection in acquiring the various hasta mudras and pada chalana, that form the basics of Satriya dance.

During his month-long stay in France, Bhabananda Barbayan also took part in various discussion sessions and also performed for mass audiences in different places of the country. On April 26, he was part of cultural exchange programme, organised by ‘Faculte d’ Administration et de communication’ of the University of Toulouse, where he delivered a thoughtful lecture on Satriya. On April 27 and May 3, he gave Satriya recitals for mass audience in Toulouse and Montpellier. On May 8, Bhabananda Barbayan attended a lively discussion session about the performing procedure of dance and drama on the stage with special reference to Satriya, at the famous Musee du Quai Branly in Paris, where some technical personalities of Zaman Art of France also took part.

Inducted into the revered Uttar Kamalabari Satra at the age of four, Bhabananda Barbayan learnt the nuances of Satriya culture there under the able guidance of gurus Paramananda Barbayan and Tuniram Barbayan (nritya), Cheniram Barbayan (khol bayan), Kamal Bargayan (gayan), and Baluram Bargayan and Gupiram Bargayan (oja). Today, he is an exponent himself, imparting lessons, as well as conducting workshops, besides holding lecture demonstrations on Satriya, travelling far and wide.

Before his French sojourn this year for Satriya performances, Bhabananda Barbayan along with his troupe had been to several cultural festivals across Europe, the prominent and prestigious being the ‘Festival Les Orientales, Saint Florent Le Viel’, the ‘Festival Les Orientais, Evora, Portugal’, the ‘Festival De Musique Sacree, Abbaye De Sylvanes’, the ‘Festival Autres Rivages, Uzes’, the ‘Festival International De Folklore, Issoire’, and the ‘Festival Interfolk, Le Puy-en-Velay’.

Apart from doing numerous national rounds across the length and breadth of the country, performing and propagating Satriya art and culture in different fora, Bhabananda Barbayan has also worked for various international platforms, attending and performing in a number of seminars and conferences.

Now in his thirties, Bhabananda Barbayan has composed a number of solo, as well as group dance numbers and in doing so, he has resorted to wide experimentations, infusing elements of gayan-bayan, mati akhara, Satriya ojapali, bhortal nritya, etc. In the musical front of Satriya culture, too, he has worked extensively, making compositions based on khols and taals, Satriya raags, etc. Barbayan had also directed the music for eminent French filmmaker Emanuel Petit’s documentary on Majuli, titled Dans Les Drumes De Majuli, where he appeared in a number of sequences.

Let’s hope, initiatives of people like Bhabananda Barbayan pay dividends in establishing Satriya as a rich art form in the global cultural arena.

Mridumoloy