A CORRESPONDENT
BARPETA: The 578th birth anniversary of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, the father of the Assamese nation and the repository of all virtues, was celebrated on Monday at the historic Barpeta Satra, which was established by Mahapurush Madhavdev.
On this occasion, following the morning Nitya Prasanga (daily prayers) at the Barpeta Sattra, a Bhagavat Bhraman (holy procession of the Bhagavat) was organised. The procession, which carried the holy Bhagavat placed on the Guru Asana, traversed through Barpeta town in accordance with traditional Sattriya rituals. Accompanied by Gayan-Bayan (traditional musicians and dancers) and Naam-Kirtan (devotional chanting), the entire Sattra town of Barpeta resonated with the chants of 'Hari Nama.'
A large number of women's devotional groups and male devotees participated in the procession. Key dignitaries, including the Burha Sattriya of Barpeta Satra, Dr Babul Chandra Das, Deka Sattriya Gautam Pathak, and the Secretary of the Satra Management Committee, Pradip Pathak, were also in attendance.
In the evening, a discussion meeting was held under the presidency of Deka Sattriya Gautam Pathak, where writer Amiya Kumar Das shed light on the life and philosophy of the great saint.
Meanwhile, a four-day programme to commemorate the Guru's birth anniversary has also been organised under the initiative of the Barpeta Barbazar Yubak Sangha. On Sunday, with the cooperation of local traders, the Yubak Sangha presented the traditional Karbhar (ceremonial offerings) from Barbazar to the Barpeta Satra. On Monday, the first religious discussion (Dharmalochana) was held at Barpeta Barbazar to mark the occasion.
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