Ritualistic Ranga Pravesha stirs up traditional Assamese culture in Delhi

It was a rare occasion in the National Capital recently, when an enthusiatic audience experienced the enthralling Sattriya performance of Sanjukta Barooah Swargari, an eminent disciple of Adhyapak Bhabananda Barbayan of Uttar Kamalabari Sattra, Majuli,on the occasion of her Ranga Pravesha.Indian dances express enthusiasm and jubilance and showcase regional lifestyles with a special flavour of a particular culture. Sattriya Nritya, is one among eight principal classical Indian  dance  traditions. Created by Assamese Vaishnava saint Srimanta Shankardeva  in 15th  century Assam, the dance form of Sattriya is known for encompassing its rich traditional rituals which is displayed in form of a composite  art  of  Ankiya  naat ( a form of Assamese one-act plays) blended incredibly with music, poetry and story-telling and is usually  performed  in Sattras,  as Assam's monasteries  are  called.

Whereas some of the other traditions have been revived in the recent past, Sattriya has remained a living tradition since its creation by the saint. As the tradition developed and grew within the sattras, the dance form came to be called Sattriya Nritya. Today, although the dance form has emerged from within the confines of the sattras to a much wider recognition, the sattras continue to use it for ritualistic and other purposes for which it was originally created five hundred years ago.

The evening  of 27th March, Sunday, at the India International Centre, New Delhi, was delightfully charmed by the magnificence of the classical technique of Sattriya dance, poetry, song, music, drumming and dancing  traditions presented by Sanjukta Barooah Swargari,  followed by the traditional 'Ranga Pravesha' ceremony which also entitled Sanjukta to establish herself as the first Sattriya dancer from the Delhi- NCR region. 

'Ranga' means performing stage and 'Pravesha' means enter is a similar procedure for ascending one learner to the stage as a dancer, who resided out side of the Sattra.  As per, traditions of Sattriya school of dancing a Natuwa (dancer) is known to be qualified while he/she is able to perform in ritualistic ceremonials of Namghar. The Sattra authority awarded to learners as a Natuwa with celebrating a ceremony called Natuwa Uthuwa (Ascend as dancer). On this occasion, Adhyapak Gupiram Bargayan Burhabhakat graced the Ranga Pravesha ceremony of Sanjukta Barooah Swargari and as a representative of Uttar Kamalabari Sattra tradition, he offered the auspicious Nirmali, brought with him from Majuli.