GUWAHATI, Dec 12 - The Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, a global organisation engaged in promoting the legacy of Srimanta Sankaradeva is organising an event on January 3, next at Nagaon to create awareness about river island Majuli, which is a hub of Sankari culture in all its hues. The event has been named as Majuli Friendship Day. It will highlight the rich heritage of the river island and draw attention to the peril of erosion the island is facing, a press release stated. Earlier, the society celebrated �Nagaon Friendship Day� in 2014. That event had also honoured a few individuals contributing to Sankari culture.
The Society will also felicitate environmentalist Jadav Payeng on this day, as he has contributed a lot to the preservation of ecology in Majuli. He will lead a plantation drive alongwith the event. The participants of the event will also take a pledge which runs like this �I will take a vow to do my best to preserve the ecology. I will plant at least one sapling every year in my premises.�
There will be display of different facets of Sankari culture including gayan bayan in the event. There will be a satriya nritya recital by a national award winning artist, Meenakshi Medhi in the function. Ranjan Bezbarua and Madhab Krishna Das will perform borgeet in the function. Artists of Srimanta Sankaradeva Sangha will perform diha naam and thiya naam. Artists from Rangalaya, Puranigudam will perform gayan bayan.
An exhibition of the aharya used in bhaona will be held during the Majuli Friendship Day. These will include masks, costumes, headgear, ornaments and different accessories used in bhaona. It may be noted that all these products were prepared by the members of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva in a workshop conducted by it in 2014 under the sponsorship of Sangeet Natak Akademi. A photo exhibition also will be held where different facets of Majuli will be displayed through photographs. Simultaneously, an art competition will be organised for students on the theme of �Majuli�.
Several experts from different disciplines will address the event. Dr Anupam Sarma of World Wildlife Fund, Rituraj Phukan, a climate expert and Dr Arun Sarma, president of the Majuli Island Protection and Development Council will give presentations. Bhadrakrishna Goswami, former president of the Asom Sattra Mahasabha will inaugurate the event. Dr Binoy Bordoloi, Director, Assam Foundation of North America, USA, Dr Kandarpa Kumar Deka, VC of Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Viswavidyalaya, Prof Prashanta Kr Bordoloi, Director of Kaziranga University, Shantanoo Bhattacharyya, engineer and erosion specialist and Janardan Goswami, sattradhikar of Uttar Kamalabari Satra will also attend the event.
The event will take place in Nagaon Natya Mandir, Amolapatty, Nagaon. The plantation will be carried out at 8.30 am on the premises of ADP College in cooperation with ADP College Teachers Council. The main event will start at 9.30 am at Nagaon Natya Mandir, the release added.
The Majuli Friendship Day is sponsored by the Assamese diaspora in United States and Netherlands. Ankur Bora living in Dallas, USA is coordinating the event. It may be mentioned that Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva organised an international conference on Majuli in 2012.
