The renowned Vaishnava saint and Assamese reformer Mahapurusha Sankaradeva established the Sattriya dance form in the fifteenth century A.D. as a potent means of spreading the Vaishnava faith. Later on, the dance form developed and grew into a unique dance style. The Sattras, or Vaishnava maths or monasteries, have been devotedly nurturing and preserving this neo-Vaishnava treasure of Assamese dance and drama for generations. This dance form has been appropriately dubbed Sattriya due to its religious nature and connection to the Sattras.
With the addition of classical components and fundamentals pertaining to "Natyashastra," "Srihastamuktawali," and "Abhinaya Darpan," Sattriya dance has expanded beyond its Sattra roots. This dance style now has a more modern look because of several studies and artistic endeavours. Recent years have witnessed significant advancements in stage presentation, costumes, and choreography, which have increased the dynamic nature of this dance form as a performance art. Two styles of Sattriya dance can be distinguished: the "Paurashik Bhangi," or Tandava, or masculine style, and the "Stri Bhangi," or Lashya, or feminine style.
History of Sattriya Dance of Assam
The ancient theater and music works of Bharata Muni, particularly his Natya Shastra, are the sources of the Indian classical dance known as Sattriya. The first complete set of artefacts dates from 200 BCE to 200 CE. Estimates, however, vary from 500 BCE to 500 CE. The dance was organized by Sankaradeva in the 15th century, who is credited with bringing drama and expressive dancing (nritta and nritya) as a kind of communal religious art for passionate devotion to Krishna. The temple gave birth to Sattriya Nritya in the second half of the 1800s. Prior to becoming popular in cities, this style of dancing originated in monasteries.
Into the early nineteenth century, the Sattras continued their strict austerities and strict devotions. This dance is performed in a very dedicated and spiritual way by male dancers alone. The cause for Sattriya Nritya's acceptance and acknowledgement being delayed could be due to various factors. The ability to maintain its original form and distinctive appearance has been one of the primary advantages of adhering to the Sattras' guidelines. Following the Sangeet Natak Akademi's classification as one of India's traditional dance genres, Sattriya rose to fame and widespread recognition.
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Different Dance Styles of Sattriya
- Mati Akhara: The Mati Akharas, or fundamental exercises and grammar of Sattriya dance, serve as the cornerstone of a Sattriya dancer's training. There were 44 Mati Akharas during the post-Sankarian era, but 64 Mati Akharas are reportedly in operation according to Kamalabari Sattra. The dancer's body is ready for more intricate and choreographed routines with these foundational moves and workouts. Eight primary varieties can be distinguished from the 64 Mati Akharas: Ora, Saata, Jhalak, Sitika, Pak, Jap, Lon, and Khar.
- Krishna Nritya: A prominent Sattriya dance is the Krishna Nritya, which depicts the activities of the young Krishna. Krishna Nritya is a Sutataal-based pure dance performance. The standard Krishna Nritya costume consists of a yellow dhoti, a blue shirt or blouse, and a headpiece adorned with a peacock feather.
- Nadubhangi: Nadubhangi Nritya is a different dance style that retells stories about Lord Krishna, including the one in which He slays the venomous snake "Kaliya." There are two sections to the Nadubhangi dance: Ramdani and Geetor Naach. In the Geetor Naach, songs are performed along with pure dance. Nadubhagi dance uses Rakta Taal, Poritaal, Jaman Taal, Suta, Melajyoti, Chutkala, and Jatitaal. This style's key costume pieces are a yellow dhoti, a black or blue shirt or blouse, a Kanchi (waist belt), and a headpiece adorned with "Kalki."
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- Jhumura: The "Jhumura Naat" of Sri Sri Madhavdev is the source of the pure dance known as Jhumura. It is divided into three sections: Mela Naach, Geetor Naach, and Ramdani. It has a male aesthetic and postures. The Paguri or hat, laced shirt or blouse, white dhoti, and other items make up the Jhumura dancer's attire.
- Challi: The dancing peacock, which is also referenced in the Bhagavad, is said to be connected to the Chali Naach. This dance was done in Barpeta by male dancers costumed as females, instructed by Sri Sri Madhavdev. There are two varieties of Chali dance: the pure form and the Rojaghoria style, which emerged in the period after Sankarian rule. In pure Chali, there are eight Ramdanis, and more recently, Chali Naach has also included abhinaya.
- Rojaghoria: Throughout the Ahom era, Rojaghoria Chali dance changed. The order in which this dance is performed is Mela Nach, Geetor Nach, and Ramdani. The Rojaghoria Chali Nach's attire is more elegant than that of the pure Chali Nach because of its royal influence. Along with the indigenous instruments, other musical instruments were also employed, such as the Pakhawaj and Mridanga.
- Behar Nach: Behar Nach, sometimes called Bihar Nach or Bahar Nach, is a kind of group dance that depicts the joyful antics of Lord Krishna and his friends in Vrindaban. Ramdani and Geetor Nach are the two sections of this dance. Chuta Taal is utilized for the Ramdani portion, while different taals, including Poritaal, Jaman, Suta, Chutkala, and Jati, are used for the Geetor Nach portion.
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- Sutradhari: One of the main characters is Sutradhar. During that period, Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev preached Vaisnavism to the general public by means of storytelling. The Sutradhar controls the play's rhythm by reciting the drama's narrative, or Naat. Geetor Naach, Slokar Naach, and Ragor Naach are the three components of Sutradhari Nritya. The three aspects—Nritta, Natya, and Nritya—are covered in this dance.
- Bor Prabesh: The stories of young Krishna are portrayed in the Bor Prabesh Nritya, which also shows his activities with his buddies after returning from herding cattle.
- Gosain Prabesh: Gosain Prabesh Naach is the dance that the major characters in "Ankia Naat" perform when they first appear on stage. The youthfulness of this dance is employed to herald the arrival of regal and dazzling figures such as Ram-Lakshman, Krishna, and Balaram.
- Gopi Prabesh: With Gopi Prabesh Naach, the lead female character takes the stage. The feminine Sattriya Dance style is shown in this form. This dancing form is used by prominent female characters in "Ankia Naats," such as Rukmini, Satyabhama, Sita, and others, to introduce themselves.
- Ojapali: The pre-Sankarian Byahar Ojapali serves as the foundation for the Sattriya Ojapali. This dance style, like other Sattriya art forms, was extensively employed to propagate the message of monotheism. It tells the story through hand gestures and abhinaya. Raag Diya, Raag Malita, Raag Charun, Geet, Diha, Thio Paton, Kathan, Bana, Dhura, Baadya Kheyali, and Upadesh are the several regions that are home to Ojapali Naach.
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Features of Sattriya Nritya
In Sattriya dance, there are six varieties of Anga (limb), six varieties of Pratyanga, six varieties of Upanga (lower limb), nine varieties of Gatived (movement), eight varieties of Dristived (eye movement), nine varieties of Shiraved (head movement), and four varieties of Gribaved (neck movement). The flute, Taals, or cymbals, and Khols, or drums, are the musical instruments utilized in Sattriya. Mridangam and Pakhwaj, two non-traditional musical instruments, were featured in the Rojaghoria Chali Dance's soundtrack. The violin is still frequently utilized in Sattriya Dance music nowadays.
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Sattriya Dance Costume
The male attire includes the chadar, dhoti, and paguri (turban). The chadar, ghuri, and kanchi (waist cloth) are among the feminine outfits. The most famous saree worn in the Sattriya dance is the Pat Silk saree, or Paat, which uses bright motifs and patterns to portray the local area. Using a special procedure, traditional Assamese jewellery made in Kesa Sun is included in the dancing outfit (raw gold). The dancers have bracelets called Gam Kharu and MuthiKharu, and they also have Kopali on their foreheads.
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Famous Sattriya Dancers
Jatin Goswami
Famous Sattriya dancer Jatin Goswami hails from Assam. He received the Sankari Sangeet Vidyapeeth's Nritya Acharya Samman in 1999; the Indian government's Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2004; the Bharatiyam Sanman Award in 2004; the Sangeet Jyoti Award in 2005; and the Assam Satra Mahasabha's Nritya Siromoni award in 2007.
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Other honors bestowed upon him included the 1994 Silpi Divas Award, the 1995–1996 Assam Natya Samiti Mobile Theatre Award, the 1997 Assam Government's Best Dance Director Award, the 2002 Chandra Kanta Hiraprobha Award, the 2005 Assam Natya Sanmilon Award, the 2008 Wiseman International Award, the 2009 Nritya Kala Ratna Avtar Award, and the 2010 Leo Expo Award. Additionally, in 2008, he received the Padma Shri Award in recognition of his significant creative output and his contributions to Sattriya music and dance.
Sharodi Saikia
Sharodi Saikia, a unique blend of dancer, choreographer, teacher, and music composer, is widely recognized as a leading representative of Sattriya heritage in contemporary times. She has participated in national and international dance festivals, such as those hosted by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. In addition, she has given lectures and workshops at numerous prominent colleges and universities.
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Saikia founded the performance company Rang Mandoli, which has participated in various esteemed dance festivals, showcasing her choreography. In 2003, she founded Rangayan, an academy of dance, theater, and music in Guwahati. There, she trains aspiring dancers and carries out historical and evolutionary studies on Sattriya dance. Apart from her contributions to periodicals on Sattriya dance, her articles on education, women, and development subjects are also noteworthy.
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Indira PP Bora
Indira PP Bora, a Padma Shri recipient is well-known for her skill in Sattriya, Kuchipudi, and Bharatnatyam dance forms. She became a professional after receiving encouragement from her late husband, Prafulla Prasad Bora. In 1982, PP Bora founded Kalabhumi, the region's first hub for dance, art, and culture and a refuge for fostering creativity. Additionally, he gave Indira the opportunity to elevate Sattriya to national prominence.
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Beyond national borders, Bora's unwavering spirit and love for Sattriya continued. She was the first dancer from India to archive her Sattriya dance compositions at the esteemed Lincoln Center for Performing Arts in New York City, USA, and the first dancer to perform Sattriya and Devadasi dance on BBC TV in London in 1985. The mother-daughter team of Meneka PP Bora and Indira PP Bora is now recognized as the personification of Sattriya dance enthusiasm and devotion.
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