Sattriya Dances must endorse Bhakti Ras
The Sattriya dances must endorse the devotional character and Bhakti Rasa (spiritual aspect) should be predominant in this Nritya. More over, the gracefulness of the performers must be maintained during the performance, commented Dr PJ Mahanta, an authority on Sattriya Sanskriti.
Attending a media workshop on the appreciation of Sattriya dances in Guwahati Press Club on Monday (July 21), Dr Mahanta also maintained that media persons should have the authentic and comprehensive knowledge on the dance form before reporting the events related to the classical dace form.
Mentionable that Sattriya Nritya is recognized as one of eight principal classical Indian dance traditions. Sattriya dance has been a living tradition since it its creation by the greatest son of the soil, Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th century in Assam. Sankardeva created the Sattriya dance to accompany the Ankiya Naat (a form of Assamese one-act plays devised by him) which was usually performed in the Sattras (Assamese monastery).
One can find references of Sattriya Nritya are found in the ancient Indian classical texts like Natyashastra, Kalikapurana, Yoginitantra, Abhinayadarpana and also in various sculptures and historical relics.
The other resource person of the workshop, Krishnamurti Hazarika has advised the journalists to continue reporting on the cultural activities with a sustained effort. He also emphasized on personal interaction of the journalists with the performers. Anwesa Mahanta, a young Sattriya performer of Assam, presented few Bhangimas of the dance form.
Nearly 20 journalists attended the workshop. The GPC secretary Nava Thakuria, while offering thanks to the resource persons, declared that the press club would organize a major media workshop, comprising journalists from all Northeastern states, on all the classical dance forms of the country in Guwahati.
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