Yugadrashta

Yugadrashta: The Visionary
Poster of Yugadrashta
Directed by	Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta
Produced by	Swapnali Mahanta
Written by	Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta
Story by	Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta
Based on	Life and times of Pitambar Deva Goswami
Starring	Moon Borkotoky Haridev Goswami Guna Mahanta
Music by	Anurag Saikia
Cinematography	Suman Duwarah
Country	India
Language	Assamese

Yugadrashta: The Visionary (Assamese: যুগদ্ৰষ্টা) is a Assamese language short film based on the life of reformer and freedom fighter Pitambar Deva Goswami, starring Moon Borkotoky in the title role. The film was directed by Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta and produced by Swapnali Mahanta.

Plot

Yugadrashta - The Visionary, the short film based on the true story of life and times of Pitambar deva Goswami(1885-1962) starts with the central character along with his biographer cum secretary, Gangadhar Hazarika, returning by a country boat to his abode in Majuli after having attended EID Majlis in 1956. He is the only religious head of the Sattra pantheon who had done so. On arrival both the persons are in the study room of the pontiff wherein they discuss the extra ordinary life of the Sattradhikar—the chief of the Vaishnavite monastery called Garmur Sattra of Majuli—the huge river island of great ethno-classical heritage.

They start discussing the ordination ceremony of Pitambardev in 1914 as the Sattradhikar of Garmur Sattra which is a monastery of celibate order in Majuli. The detailed ceremonies of such kinds as celebrated in the early 20th century along with the heritage of the Sattra tradition are packaged in the film. The pontiff is clear that the rules made by the society are not necessarily ordained by the God and that the worth of a person is to be judged by merit and a sense of justice.

Pitambar deva Goswami changed the system of celibate order of his monastery and psycho-analysis of the man fighting with himself is attempted in the film. The period of 1920’s was very hectic for the pontiff with introduction of several reforms and his participation is fighting the British colonial tax- structure. His spat with Mr. HW Phriel, the then Deputy commissioner of Sivsagar district during a public meeting where he appealed to the public not to pay taxes, ended in the officer placing his firearm at the feet of the pontiff as a mark of respect toward this personality is important. The part wherein the Mising tribal people of Majuli received special attention for reform is interspersed with display of no tolerance towards his own folks for racial discrimination. Despite heading an institution of extreme conservatism, his focus on emancipation of women through education and widow remarriage etc. invited social castigation, which, did not deter him. His proactive leadership during the Quit India was a headache to the British ruler and the film depicts Sir Harold Dennehy, ICS, the Chief Secretary of Assam, 1943, giving dictation advocating his arrest and his detention outside the state of Assam.

The film also shows the flash-back visuals of the pontiff’s effort in spread of education by opening schools in Mikir Hills, now known as Karbi Anglong despite his failing health. It also shows introduction of women’s acting and dance at the initiative of Pitambar. In the process the simple life of the Assamese village folks along with the social ethos and their peculiar life-style is authentically documented.

The film ends with arrival of the dawn after the night long discussion, when the pontiff spells out his dream of a greater Assam where all communities like the Boro, the Mising and the Muslims will live in harmony.

Cast

Pitambar Deba Goswami - Moon Borkotoky
Child Pitambar Deva Goswami - Aashwas Rag Mahanta
Sattradhikar, Auniati Sattra - Haridev Goswami
Gongadhar - Guna Mahanta
Aldhara - Pradip Bhuyan
H.W.Phriel - Henry Cottee Jones (Eden)
Chief Secretary - Rupert Grey
Niru - Srijani Bhaswa Mahanta
Ramai - Rubi Mahanta
Mising Lady - Jyotsna Doley
Niru’s friend - Priyanka Baruah

Production

It's a short feature film shot in Red Camera on the life and times of the great reformer and freedom fighter Pitambar Deva Goswami (1885-1962), Sattradhikar of Garmur Sattra.

Jagyeswar Sarmah, former President of Asom Sahitya Sabha called him an outstanding humanist and a specimen of a rarely gifted religious head. Tarun Chandra Pamegam, former Vice—President of Asom Sahitya Sabha termed him as most curious subject of research in university. His departure created a void in Assamese political, social and spiritual life ......... till the last days of his life he entertained the desire to achieve the impossible in all walks of life;" opined Mahendra Mohan Choudhury, former Chief Minister of Assam . Dr. Bhupen Hazarika termed him the Sankardeva of 20th century .

Though being presented in a fiction category, the story of Pitambar Deva Goswami is of a real man -- a messiah of a very interesting part of history of Assam and India. Though there is presently renewed social effort to rediscover the genius of the great man, there is very less recorded documents, bulk of which were seized and lost during the British repression. Bits and pieces of his eventful life are collected by our Research Team from various books in addition to collection of relevant inputs from some of his disciples and people still living. In fact our team is recognized to have done a pioneering work in this regard.

Produced by Swapnali Mahanta of Srijoni Production, Yugadrashta - The Visionary is researched and directed by Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta. Moon Borkotoki plays the lead role with the support of the likes of Guna Mahanta, Rupert Grey, Hemanta Choudhury, Henry Cottee Jones, Srijani Bhaswa Mahanta, among others. Director of photography is Suman Dowerah and music is by Anuraag Saikia. The film has been edited by Ramen Bora.Digital Intermediate Colorist Sunil Kamath.N

‘’Yugadrashta’’(The Visionary) is about SriPitambar Deva Goswami (1885 – 1962), the Head of the renowned Vaishnavite monastery (Sattra) called Gormur Sattra of Majuli. Till the last days of his life he entertained the desire to achieve the impossible in all walks of life; opined Mahendra Mohan Choudhury former Chief Minister of Assam. Dr. Bhupen Hazarika termed him the Sankardeva of 20th century . Advocating ‘Bharatratna’ for the great man, Smti Anuradha Sarma Pujari, noted author says that “the legend of the Sattradhikar is definitely no less than those of Rammohan Rao, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar etc.”.These are only a few examples of adulation of the all-round personality of the great saint who was an ardent freedom fighter, harbinger of a new hope, a social and religious reformer, an honest individual ready to experiment with the body and the soul, a workaholic dedicated to the cause of removing social injustices and ignorance. Certainly, his life and contributions have tremendous relevance at the time of negative ambience prevailing in the present day society

Presented in short feature format, the story of Pitambar Deva Goswami is of a real man – a messiah of a very interesting part of history of Assam and India. Materials on his eventful life are collected by our Research team from various books in addition to collection of relevant inputs from some of his disciples and people still living. In fact our team is recognized to have done a pioneering work in this regard. The narrative is illustrated in a ‘flash-back’ mould. In that the activities, emotion and interplay of socio-psychological aspects are enacted by playacting. Maximum efforts have been put in reproducing the exact ambience of the period of history. Effort is made to give a touch of the yore in the colour correction lab. Portraying only a minuscule part of the mosaic of the life of an extraordinary personality, Yugadrashta The Visionary) also attempts presentation of authentic heritage of Assam in general and Majuli in particular. It is also a humble effort to package the Sankardeva tradition, the confluence of tribes, a peep into a very interesting period of the freedom struggle in Assam and above all, the ideals of humanism.