JORHAT, May 12 � Many devotees and the office-bearers of the managing committee of the historic Sri Sri Garamur Satra of Majuli on Monday said that they are all set to welcome a new Satradhikar with their rituals and customs on May 31 to continue the thread of �Udasin Parampara� of the 357-year-old epicentre of Vaisnavism and Sattriya culture in the river island.
As their former Satradhikar, Haridev Goswami decided to give up his bachelorhood and expressed his willingness to start conjugal life (i.e. discontinuation of �Udasin Parampara�), the managing committee officially gave him farewell after he had handed over the charges of the permanent and temporary properties of the Satra recently.
�Devotees could not allow to discontinue the practice of Udasin Parampara of our historical Sri Sri Garamur Satra where 13 Satradhikar Prabhus prior to Haridev Goswami remained bachelors for life with pure devotion to God and service to mankind since the foundation of the Satra in 1658. Following the consensus of the devotees and the disciples of our Satra, we have started preparations to welcome Prabin Goswami of Narayanpur as the new Satradhikar on May 31,� said Jayanta Bora, secretary of the Sri Sri Garamur Satra Managing Committee.
According to him the would-be Satradhikar is a HSLC candidate and his forefathers belonged to the historic Ahotguri Satra, which was eroded by the Brahmaputra river in the Ahotguri area of Majuli years ago.
As Prabin Goswami assured them of remaining bachelor for life, the devotees and the managing committee decided to welcome him to the Satra that witnessed the glorious life and activities of its 12th Satradhikar, Pitambar Deva Goswami, who played a major role in India�s freedom movement, besides promoting education among the poor tribal people in the remote villages and fighting for the eradication of poverty.
�We are ready to provide necessary facilities for higher studies to the new Satradhikar Prabhu who has appeared in this year�s HSLC examination. For traditional Sanskrit education, we have required facilities and teachers inside our Satra premises,� said Babul Sarma, a teacher and a member of the managing committee.
However, the outgoing Satradhikar of the Garamur Satra, Haridev Goswami is welcomed by the nearby Saru Garamur Satra to be their new Satradhikar on May 13 after his marriage on Tuesday. Many devotees of the Saru Garamur Satra on Monday said they are doing their best for the welcome ceremony of the new Satrdhikar and his wife.
