NAGAON, Sept 17 - Dr Rustom Bharucha, former Professor of JNU delivered the Prof Maheswar Neog commemoration lecture on September 13 on the topic �Dramaturgies of Bhakti: Rethinking the Interactive dynamics of text and performance in Lokadharmi� which was organised by the Professor Maheswar Neog Memorial Trust in association with Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Vishwavidyalaya (MSSV) here.
At the very outset, Prof Bharucha observed that Prof Maheswar Neog was one of the finest scholars of Assam whose prodigious span of knowledge continues to generate new insights, grounded in highly textured context of history, language and culture.
In his lecture, Prof Bharucha reflected on the dramaturgies of Bhakti-related performances focusing primarily on Krishnattam, the eight episode, dance-drama enactment of the life of lord Krishna as enacted through song, dance and spectacle at the Guruvayur temple in Kerala. He further said that Krishnattam helped to understand Bhakti in performances and Dr Bharucha related this to the living monastic Satriya tradition of Assam, as envisioned by Srimanta Sankaradeva.
However he said that there is no �sutradhar� in south as in Assamese plays of Sankaradeva. Dr Bharucha concluded his lecture of seeing God through the act of darshan in the Ramlila of Ramnagar.
At the beginning of 22nd Prof Maheswar Neog lecture, his daughter-in-law Ankita Neog and VC of the university, Dr KK Deka lit a lamp at the portrait of Prof Neog and Prof Jinti Das of MSSV presented a Borgeet. Chancellor of the University, Kamala Kt Gogoi blessed the function with a few words and VC Dr KK Deka formally declared the function open.
Presiding over the function, the chairman of the Trust Dr Nagen Saikia expressed that his lecture would open new avenues for research. Prof Pradipjyoti Mahanta, secretary of the Trust explained the significance of the function and Dr Dinamani Thakuria, Registrar of the University offered the vote of thanks.
Teachers of various institutions, students and representatives of various organisations graced the occasion.
