The namghar-centric Assamese social life

The namghar came to be regarded as a centre of both religious and artistic practice. That is why the Namghar is called a museum of our heritage. Perhaps that is why Birinchi Kumar Barua described the Namghar as the ‘national theatre’ – Himangshu Ranjan Bhuyan

The Namghar is a unique creation of Assam’s Neo-Vaishnavite movement, a distinctive religious institution. It is a treasure deeply embedded in the very fabric of Assamese life. The Namghar serves as the collective prayer house and theatre of the Assamese people. Wherever two or four families settle with the intention of establishing a new village, the idea of building a Namghar immediately takes root. In truth, ever since Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva and Madhavdeva planted its seed, every Namghar has been used by Assamese society for observing the death anniversaries of the Gurus, conducting various religious ceremonies, performing bhaona and sabha, holding village meetings, and practising dance and music. In a word, this unparalleled gift that the all-accomplished Sankaradeva bestowed upon the Assamese nation—the Namghar—has remained from that time until the present and will continue to remain as long as the Assamese nation exists, a sacred centre of religious practice in the daily life of the people.

According to the Guru-charit-katha, after his first marriage, Sankaradeva began practising Hari-kirtan in his birthplace, Alipukhuri. Finding the place inconvenient, he built a four-sided structure at Kathiyatoli, constructed a Hari-griha, and his elder brother Ramarai arranged for the deity-house. However, the Guru-charit-katha also states that this happened after he returned from his first pilgrimage and entered his second marriage. Only after the second marriage did he clear the sarihatali of Kusumbar and build a Kirtan Griha to practise Krishna-katha. This Kirtan Griha became the first Namghar. Although the two biographies differ regarding the exact time of its construction, we may certainly designate Sankaradeva as the founder of the Namghar. Historians, after examining both versions, consider the second timeline more realistic. The reason is that “in his student days Sankara already felt the Vaishnavite tradition superior to the Shakta tradition; during his pilgrimage, especially at Jagannath under the influence of Sankaracharya’s Advaita philosophy and through full study of the original Bhagavata Purana, he became convinced of the superiority of Vaishnavism; after returning from the pilgrimage, he first built a Hari-griha and practised Bhagavata there. Only afterwards did he present ‘Chihna-yatra’, and only then did he begin accepting disciples. By age he would then have been at least fifty-nine or sixty.”

Again, regarding the origin of the Namghar, Dr Lakshminandan Boradeva in his book ‘Yakeri Nahike Upam’ mentions that when Mahapurusha Sankaradeva returned home after completing his studies under Mahendra Kandali, members of his family and villagers gathered in large numbers to hear the glories of God from his lips. Since there was no room in his maternal house for the devotees to sit, his father, Kusumbar Bhuyan, decided to build an open kirtan house on the southeast side of the stone slab in the Saruha field, and with the cooperation of the villagers, the kirtan-ghar of bamboo and thatch was completed in a very short time. A manikut was erected at the eastern end running north-south. To the right of the manikut, a seven-tiered throne based on Saptavaikuntha was set up and a four-armed image of Vishnu installed. Though some called this house of worship Hari-mandir and others kirtan-ghar, according to the Guru’s own wish, the house became known as the abode of Harinama—the Namghar—and continues to be known as such in Assamese society to this day.

After the first Hari-griha was established at Barpeta, the charit books testify that Sankaradeva also built similar houses at Belguri-Dhuwahat and Patbausi. Later, under the patronage of Naranarayan and Chilarai, he probably built one at Bhela (Madhupur?). Because its history was not properly preserved, it is difficult to speak with certainty. Thus, it is generally accepted that Sankaradeva founded only the three Hari-grihas mentioned above. Incidentally, the term ‘Namghar’ was first used by Ramananda Dwij, the Bhagavata reader of Kuruwabahi Satra, in his Vamsigopaladeva Charita. In later times the word gradually became widespread.

After Sankaradeva’s departure, Namghars began to be established in the villages of Assam from the newly created sattra institutions and became known as the “indispensable village centre” of the Neo-Vaishnavite religion introduced by Sankaradeva. In this context, Amalendu Guha’s observation in his book ‘From Vaishnavism to Moamaria Rebellion’ is worth recalling: “Under the great canopy of unifying sattriya culture, following the model of tribal youth dormitories, countless Namghars sprang up in village after village, locality after locality.” In the beginning the sattras themselves provided leadership to the village Namghars, but later, for various reasons, the sattras either relinquished or lost that role. As a result, while remaining loyal to the parent sattra, village Namghars emerged as independent institutions.

The Guru did not intend the Namghar merely as a medium for propagating devotional religion; he shaped it into the principal centre for practising and performing the music, dance, drama, bhaona and other arts he himself introduced, as well as the focal point for celebrating numerous auspicious festivals and for settling various social discussions and disputes. The Namghar bears the brilliant signature of the Guru’s far-reaching creative genius. So that people of all castes, tribes, religions and classes could sit together on the same floor, the Guru spared no effort.

Anyone wearing clean clothes may enter a Namghar; no caste-based or economic class division is observed there; instead, it functions as a vast cultural centre. That is why Keshavananda Dev Goswami identified six purposes of the Namghar: place of worship, village court, village parliament, museum, cultural centre and theatre. In one word, the Namghar is the cultural stage of Assamese national life.

In short, the Namghar is the central place for the religious ceremonies and festivals of the common people. It can also be regarded as Assam’s oldest permanent stage and theatre. Generally the floor of the Namghar itself is used as the stage for performing bhaona. An agnigadh is set up on the western side to mark the boundary. The gayan-bayan, sutradhar and all actors enter through this agnigadh. Usually a white cloth canopy with red designs, called chandratap, is hung over the acting area. Nowadays, however, one often sees a bamboo structure decorated with colourful paper flowers to mark the performance space. Necessary props for the bhaona are kept in the chong-ghar. The sattradhikar, or village elders, sit near the thapona, or manikut. The remaining audience sit under the two long verandahs on the north and south sides. When necessary, the bamboo walls are removed to extend temporary sheds for additional seating. In recent times, however, the construction of permanent walls has made expansion of the auditorium impossible.

In reality, ever since the Guru’s time, a rich tradition of artistic practice has grown up around the Namghars. Gradually the Namghars became distinctive centres of Assamese artistic activity. Here the village youth receive training in dance, music and instruments for bhaona. Especially in their spare time, young men learn from experienced artistes how to sing gayan-bayan, sutradhar verses, and borgeet while preserving raga and tala, ankia songs, various totoys, chapoys, payars, ghosa, kirtan, jhumuri, etc.; how to enact the bhaos of Krishna and other characters; and how to perform different styles of dance. At one time, high-quality domestic and cottage industries flourished around the village of Namghar. As a result, village artisans produced three-tiered, five-tiered and seven-tiered thrones, garudasana, karani, rangali sarai, thoga, etc. required by the Namghar. They carved beautiful creepers, flowers and figures and applied hengal-haital paint. Assamese brass smiths made large sarai, bonta and baan of brass. Artisans carved creepers, flowers and various pictures on thoga, bhadrashana, lamp stands, udal, udal-mari, khundana, etc. donated to the Namghar. On the manikut, walls, doors and chotis of the Namghar, they painted the ten, twenty-two or twenty-four avatars of Vishnu along with various Puranic stories related to Vaishnavism and applied hengal-haital. Village women beautifully embroidered verses of the Gurus’ ghosa on cloth. Similarly, the making of props needed for bhaona—bows, arrows, swords, maces, crowns, kiriti, wigs, masks of gods, demons, kinnaras, nagas and various animals such as horses, tigers, cows and monkeys—has continued through the Namghar. Besides these, in their spare time while listening to readings of the Puranas and Bhagavata, people have practised making everyday bamboo and wood items such as phani, kakai, betar bata, sarai, bamboo and cane bicini, phulam japi, pachi, kharahi, chalani, kula, dola, ugha, chereki, etc. In one word, the Namghar came to be regarded as a centre of both religious and artistic practice. That is why the Namghar is called a museum of our heritage. Perhaps that is why Birinchi Kumar Barua described the Namghar as the “national theatre”.

From ancient times, besides being recognised as a centre of religion and art, the Namghar has also performed an important social role. The social significance of the Namghar is deeply rooted in Assamese society. Its importance in binding together the village-dwelling Assamese community is immense. It should be noted that Sankaradeva did not travel among the people to propagate religion by establishing Namghars or Kirtan-grihas. The common people themselves, out of sincere devotion to his religious principles, voluntarily approached him. Moreover, because Sankaradeva embraced people of all castes, religions and classes without discrimination, he was able to gain popularity among the masses. During this period Sankaradeva and his followers and disciples composed a large number of religious texts for the propagation and spread of the faith. The simplicity of these numerous religious books, written so that ordinary people could easily understand them, together with the low-cost rules for practising religion, attracted everyone to his doctrine. “The large number of Namghars and the system of keeping their doors open to all irrespective of caste, tribe or class provided everyone equal opportunity for acquiring knowledge.” That is why even illiterate Assamese can recite verses from Kirtan, Dasham, Namghosa, Ratnavali and Gunamala fluently and memorise the lines of bhaona. Thus, in creating a greater Assamese society by binding the Assamese people together with the thread of unity, the pivotal role played by the Namghar in Sankaradeva’s mission is easily comprehensible. Herein lies the social and cultural importance of the Namghar.

As already mentioned, in Assamese social life the Namghar also functions as a village court and village parliament. Because it is in the Namghar that villagers resolve their minor social problems. Various small disputes, quarrels, and questions of sin and virtue are judged in the Namghar by village elders led by the gaonburha, together with officials such as bishaya-babiya, medhi, satola, pathak, pachani, bilaniya, and deuri. The guilty person receives appropriate punishment. Even a son is not spared if found guilty. If the guilty party places a betel-nut tray before the assembly, kneels and admits the fault, asking for forgiveness, the community may, after due consideration, grant pardon. One who refuses to accept the community verdict may be declared eghoriya (outcast). An eghoriya person cannot participate in any public festival until he accepts the community verdict, and villagers are forbidden to attend any celebration organised by an eghoriya household.

On the other hand, when villagers wish to organise a festival collectively or discuss any village problem, they do so in the Namghar in the presence of all and take decisions. It is like a miniature version of our country’s parliament. Incidentally, earlier the tup and courtyard of the Namghar were used for this purpose, but now the main floor itself is used. This has already been mentioned. However, it must be noted that due to growing individualism, the social authority of the Namghar has considerably declined in recent times.

In conclusion, from roughly the sixteenth century until the present day, the Namghars of Assam have exercised an all-encompassing influence on Assamese national life. Their impact is undeniable in every sphere of Assamese life connected with music, dance, instruments, art, religion and justice. Not only that, but the very character of the Assamese people has been shaped around the Namghar.

(The author can be reached at himangshur1989@gmail.com.)