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Guv hails Sangeet Sattra for promotion of Sattriya dance

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 9 - Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi has hailed Sangeet Sattra for its pioneering role in the promotion of Sattriya dance and bringing it from the confines of the Sattras and paving the way for its recognition as the eighth classical dance form of India.

Speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of Sangeet Sattra at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here on Sunday, Mukhi, while taking a bow to the founders of the Sattra like Dr Maheswar Neog and Barbayan Rasheswar Saikia, said, �It is through the devoted services of these personalities that Sangeet Sattra, which was set up in 1967, has come to the stage and has brought Sattriya dance to its current position.�

The Governor took note of the contributions of Radha Govinda Baruah, Rudra Barua, Keshab Mahanta, Keshab Changkakoti, Atul Barua, Dr Promode Bhattacharya and Dr Birendranath Dutta for supporting the institution in its early years.

Mukhi also said that Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhabdev laid the foundation of the Assamese identity through their contributions in dance, drama, song, painting and handicraft.

�They connected Assam to the mainland culturally and spiritually, as an important part of the Bhakti movement that swept through India in the 15th and 16th centuries. Both these persons talked about this great land of Bharatvarsha and how one gained spiritual bliss, by taking birth here. The Sangeet Sattra has kept this tradition alive, a tradition that has been living for the last 550 years,� he added.

The Governor stressed the need for the younger generations to be aware of the glorious traditions and philosophy of Assam and India.

On the occasion, he also conferred the 10th Rasheswar Saikia Barbayan Sattriya Award on Dr Sunil Kothari, Sangeet Natak Akademi fellow, Munnalal Shukla, an exponent of Kathak dance, and Prabhat Sarma, a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner.

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