SIVASAGAR: In an awe-inspiring display of Assamese cultural unity and spiritual devotion, 8,888 women gathered at Piyoli Phukan Stadium in Sivasagar on Sunday to perform a historic mass rendition of Diha Naam, a traditional Assamese prayer rooted in the Vaishnava tradition.
Wearing white mekhela sador, the performers transformed the stadium into a spectacular Assamese heritage canvas as their harmonized voices reverberated against the bright blue winter sky. This first-of-its-kind event was conducted by the celebrated Diha Naam artists Sangeeta Bora and Snigdha Bora, who conducted the ensemble through the devotional compositions with remarkable precision. The rhythmic clapping of hands and harmony in traditional instruments like the Negera, taal, and khol created a charged yet sacred atmosphere, leaving the entire audience under its spell.
This conglomeration represents the timelessness of the religious traditions of Assam. The collective voices of the female participants represent not just music but the strength of cultural and spiritual harmony, remarked Pitambar Dev Goswami, the satradhikar of Aunitati Satra in Majuli, in an inaugural speech during the celebration.
Organized by the Sivasagar-based cultural organization, Jugalbandi Sanskritik Kala Krishti Kendra, the festival saw participants from all across Assam. Diha Naam renditions largely took inspiration from the teachings of Srimanta Sankardev, inspired from scriptures like Kirtan-ghosa that reflected the devotion and communal harmony central to Assamese traditions.
This mass performance is the largest ever witnessed and shall mark a landmark in the conservation and celebration of Assam's colorful culture and spirituality.
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