Mongeet Art Residency celebrates Assam’s living traditions across Majuli & Sonapur

Majuli, Jan 23: The seventh edition of the Mongeet Art Residency, held from January 10 to 20, unfolded as a deeply immersive celebration of Assam’s artistic heritage and contemporary creative expression.

Marking the birth centenary year of cultural icon Dr Bhupen Hazarika and paying tribute to Pranor xilpi Zubeen Garg, Mongeet transcended conventional residency, evolving into a living dialogue between legacy, community and new artistic practices.

Organised by the Raul Kaushik Nath Foundation in collaboration with the Mongeet Foundation, the residency was hosted across two locations - Dekasang in Majuli from January 10 to 17 and Dekasang in Sonapur, from January 18 to 20.

Over 200 participants, mentors and cultural practitioners from diverse disciplines gathered during the ten-day programme.

The Majuli chapter began with the inauguration of Montulika (visual arts) and Monmrittika (sculpture), graced by internationally acclaimed actor Adil Hussain, Lithuanian 3D artist Gerda Liudvinaviciute, the Deputy Commissioner of Majuli and respected Sattradhikars.

The opening ceremony was anchored in sacred tradition with a resonant gayan-bayan performance by Uttar Kamalabari Sattra.

Reflecting on the setting, Adil Hussain said, “Majuli itself teaches you how to listen to the silence, history, and to yourself,” underscoring the island’s spiritual and cultural influence on the creative process.

Majuli transformed into a collective studio of experimentation through immersive 3D art workshops led by Gerda Liudvinaviciute, alongside painting, watercolour, conceptual installations and narrative-based practices conducted by artists including Noni Borpuzari, Manoj Roy and Nirupam Konwar.

Adding a sensory and cultural dimension was Aaharor Akholi, the indigenous cuisine residency curated by celebrity chef Atul Lahkar, which celebrated slow food traditions and ancestral culinary knowledge. “Food is memory, resistance and identity. Preserving it is an act of cultural pride,” Lahkar remarked.

The Mongeet Music Residency commenced on January 15 during Magh Bihu celebrations, marked by the lighting of the traditional meji. Sessions on Borgeet, Indian classical music, folk vocals, song writing and contemporary music production unfolded against the backdrop of the Brahmaputra. Classical vocalist Mitali De captured the spirit of the sessions, noting, “Music here is not taught but is lived.”

The concluding phase in Sonapur brought the residency to a vibrant crescendo, featuring masterclasses on lyrics and harmonics, digital music production workshops and spontaneous jam collaborations.

Veteran singer J.P. Das reflected on the intergenerational exchange, saying, “Every generation must carry the sound forward, without forgetting where it came from.”

The residency concluded on January 20 with a showcase featuring performances by Mongeet alumni and celebrated artists including Joi Barua, Kalyan Baruah, Shankuraj Konwar and Tarun Kalita, highlighting the programme’s enduring influence on Assam’s contemporary cultural landscape.

Since its inception in 2020, Mongeet has mentored over 700 emerging artists. Envisioned by filmmaker Kaushik Nath and actor Adil Hussain, and strengthened by the guidance of Utpal Borpujari and Krishna Barooah, Mongeet today stands as a creative sanctuary where art is not only produced, but lived, questioned and passed on across generations.