Sattriya dance

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

'Sattriya dance' is lesser known classical dance form of Assam. It was emerged as a medium of propagating Bhakti. Sattriya posses a glorious living tradition of 500 years within the Sattra institutes of Assam. The Sattra is a religious monastery with multifarious activities including culture of music, dance, drama and fine arts, was establish by the saint preacher artiste Mahapurus Srimanta Sankaradeva and his immediate successor Madhavadeva at the period of 15th century for propagating the Vaishnava cult. The number of such institute grew abundantly later on, which continued the tradition of all the above activities. The dance style was nurtured in these institutes and that’s why it got the appellation as ‘Sattriya’.

In the second half of the 19th century, the Sattriya dance came to the stage from the surroundings of Sattra institutions. The Sattra institutions maintained some rigid principles within its surroundings, till the first half of the 19th century this dance style was performed in a very ritualistic way and only male dancers were allowed to perform. For their strict principles and for the lack of academic research, this dance style took a very long period to establish itself as one of the major dance style of India. In the year of 2001 the prestigious cultural department of India, Sangeet Natak Akademi has given its recognition to Sattriya Dance as one of the classical dance forms of India as like Bharatnatyam, Manipuri, Kathak etc.

The noticeable point is that weather some government authority gives its recognition or not, the Sattriya itself maintained the classic quality within it. Though the dance style has to wait a long span of time for the strict and rigid ness of Sattras but at another side it benefited for its rigidity and able to maintained its purity and distinctiveness of that style. When it came out of the Sattra institutions to stage, it has become necessary to look in to its artistic and aesthetic qualities. As like the other classical dances the Sattriya dance also follows the same routed principles requires for a classical dance ….

1. It follows the principles of great treatises of dance and dramaturgy as like Natyashastra, Abhinaya Darpana, Sangit Ratnakara etc. 2. It has a distinct Repertoire (marg) 3. It has a living tradition of 500 years. 4. the aspects of nrtta(pure dance), nrtya(expressive dance) and natya(abhinaya) are predominatly present in the repertoire. Etc

Sattriya dance or Sattriya Nritya is one among the eight principal classical dance traditions of India. The others are Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Mohini Attam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak and Manipuri. The dance has its origin in Assam. According to historians Sattriya dance is a creation of the great Vaishnavite (bhakti) guru Srimanta Sankardeva considered the lead architect of Assamese literature and culture. He created this mangificent Sattriya dance to accompany the Ankiya Naat (a form of Assamese one-act play, another creation of Sankardeva) which was usually performed in Satras (Assamese monasteries). Since the dance developed and grew within the Satras, it is named after these religious institutions.

The content of Sattriya Nritya has usually been mythological stories. This dance is an attractive way to present mythological teachings in front of common people in an enjoyble form.

Sattriya dance is accompanied by classical raga based compositions called borgeets (yet another creation from Sankardeva) and music. Instruments that accompany a performance are khols (drums), taals (cymbals), flute and violin etc. The ornaments and costumes used in this dance have a very distinct Assamese flavour.

Traditionally, Sattriya dance is performed by bhokots (male monks) in monasteries as part of their daily rituals or special festivals. Today, in addition to this practice, Sattriya dance is performed on stage by men and women who are not part of the Satras. Dances are performed either solo or in groups.

This dance require great physical exercise. Dance movements need body flexibility and intense practice.

Sattriya dance is divided into many genres: Apsara Nritya, Behar Nritya, Chali Nritya, Dasavatara Nritya, Gosai Prabesh, Jhumura, Nadu Bhangi, Manchok Nritya, Bar prabesha, Natua Nritya, Gopi Pravesha, Rasa Nritya, Rajaghariya Chali Nritya, Sutradhara etc.