A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: In order to check unethical conversion, the first Xatra for the Adivasi community has been set up in the Lakhimpur district. The Xatra has been set up at Upper Joyhing, an Adivasi-inhabited area of the Lakhimpur district, located near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
The Xatra has been christened as Sabari Xatra, after the name of Sabari, the famous elderly woman ascetic whose story of pure devotion is scripted in the Hindu epic Ramayana. She is described as an ardently devoted woman who received Rama’s darshana and blessing due to her unconditional bhakti (devotion) for him. The Xatra will work for the intellectual and spiritual amelioration of the Adivasi people.
Dipen Bhuyan (28), an Adivasi youth, who hails from Bhuyan Gaon under Bihpuria Revenue Circle of the district, is the Xatradhikar of the Xatra. He completed graduation from Pub Dikrong College. To mould him as Xatradhikar, he was acquainted with the traditional and religious culture of the Xatra by Rup-Ram Saikia, the Burha Bhakat of the Badala Padma Aata Xatra of the Lakhimpur district. Asom Xatra Mahasabha has recognized him as Xatradhikar
At present, the Xatra has initiated a workshop of Xatriya Nritya, Gayan-Bayan, Adivasi Nritya covering the Adivasi youths. This initial workshop will last for six months. It was inaugurated by Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka on Wednesday. The agenda of the workshop started with the devotional number of Adivasi community performed by native artistes. The newly-installed Xatradhikar Dipen Bhuyan chaired the inaugural session of the workshop, which was held under the management of the Xatra Development and Management Committee secretary, Kashiram Tanti.
The objective of the programme was explained by Lakhi Gogoi, the Prachar Pramukh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Uttar-Pub Prant. Gitacharya Purandar Baruah, Sangha Chalok, RSS, Uttar-Pub Prant, delivered a lecture in the programme on spiritual enlightenment.