Sattriya Nritya – vocal (Borgeet) – Instrument (Khol) since its creation by the medieval polymath Srimanta Sankaradeva and his disciple Sri Sri Madhavdeva in the 15th century has remained a living tradition and is one amongst the 8th principle Indian Classical Dance tradition and with the aim of propagating this tradition, Sangeet Sattra was established in the year 1968. The person behind the establishment of Sangeet Sattra was late Rasheswar Saikia Barbayan (Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee, 1980), the Muktiar of Sri Sri Kamalabari Sattra. The great exponent of Sattriya culture came to Guwahati in the year 1966 with a dream in his eyes for all round development of Sattriya Culture beyond the confinement of Sattra(s). The noble endeavour for fulfilling his dream for systematic and scientific training, experiments, publishing and research study of the divine treasure of Assam, late Rasheswar Saikia Barbayan accompanied by a group of honourable artistic and cultured personalities of that time comprising Radha Gobinda Baruah, Dr. Maheswar Neog, Dr. Birendra Nath Dutta, Rudra Baruah, Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, Keshab Mahanta, Bhabagiri Raichoudhury, Keshab Changkakti, Naren Sarma, Atul Baruah, and others initially established ‘Bayanar School ‘ in 1967 and subsequently renamed as ‘Sangeet Sattra’. The founder President of Sangeet Sattra was Dr. Maheswar Neog, the then Professor and Head of Assamese Department of Gauhati University and founder Principal was Rasheswar Saikia Barbayan.
SANGEET SATTRA BUILDING / FOUNDATION
After the establishing of Sangeet Sattra, its training sessions were carried out in various rented buildings. In the year 1986, Department of the Revenue, Government of Assam allotted a land measuring 1 katha 5 lecha, in the name of Sangeet Sattra at Chandmari Colony area of Guwahati. The construction of a two storied permanent building of Sangeet Sattra was started in the year 1994 through grants received from multiple sources at different time. The name of then Chief Minister late Hiteswar Saikia is worth taking whose unprecedented financial support of an amount of Rs. 2.00 lakhs led to the creation of the basic infrastructure of the institution. Also, a galaxy of eminent persons namely Srimati Basanti Sarma (Ex. MP), Dr. Arun Sarma (Ex MP), Sri Radha Bora (Social Worker), Sri A.K. Absar Ali
Hazarika, (D.C. Kamrup District), Captain Robin Bordoloi (MLA), Sri Silvias Kandapan (Ex. MP). The support of Numaligarh Refinery Limited in addition to the contribution of some guardians will always be remembered for their notable contributions in development of infrastructure including the RCC building of the institution.
Activities of Sangeet Sattra
a) Runs
an institute imparting theoretical and practical training of Sattriya Nritya,
Badya (Khol) and vocal (Borgeet).
b) Runs
Sangeet Sattra Pariksha Parishad, a board to conduct examinations in the field
of Sattriya culture.
c) Devised
a syllabus for imparting training in the aspects of Sattriya Nritya, Khol and
Borgeet.
d) Accords
affiliation to institutions who follows the syllabus to Sangeet Sattra. At present more than 200 schools from
different parts of Assam, New Delhi, Mumbai, USA are affiliated to Sangeet
Sattra.
e) Other
activities:
Ø Rasheswar Saikia Barbayan Sattriya Bota (Award) and Annual Festival of
Dance and Music
Ø Sangeet Stuti
Ø Sattriya Taranga
Ø Sattriya Sangeet Divas (14 October)
Ø Foundation Day (13 June)
Ø
Workshop
& participation in various cultural activities with the intent to promote
Sattriya art & culture
From the memory lane
