'Tribal society provides base for Indian culture'

From our Staff Reporter

DIBRUGARH, February 11: The kind of dancing of a country can be traced from its social and cultural history. In India, sources of history are literature and texts, architecture, sculptures and paintings.

With this opening statement, Dr Sruti Bandopadhay, danseuse, researcher and professor in Manipuri dance at Visva-Bharati University and Shanti Niketan, went on to trace the origins of ancient Indian dance to myths, literature and people in her lecture at the celebration of Mitbhakh Divas at Rangghar, the auditorium of Dibrugarh University (DU), here on Wednesday.

The birthday of Dr gen Saikia, the former president of Axam Xahitya Xabha and creator of the genre, ‘Mitbhakh’, is celebrated as Mitbhakh Divas by the Prof gen Saikia Saraswata Nyas Parishad (PNSSNP). He turned 77 today. The programme was organized by the Parishad and Dr Bhupen Hazarika Centre for Studies of Performing Arts (DBHCSPA) of DU.

Dr Sruti Bandopadhay also touched upon her long association with Dr Saikia and shared with the audience how she calls him up whenever she needs any information on Assam or its culture. Speaking on the philosophy and practice of Indian dance, she talked of the divinity attributed to its foundation and how Indian myths are replete with tales of Shiva and Parvati, Kartik, Ganesha and Krish dancing. While speaking on the anthropological aspect, the Manipuri dancer, who was awarded the Lalit Kala Award in 2009 and a Fullbright Fellow in 2007, stated that tribal society provided the base for Indian culture wherein the rituals, magic art, collective emotion and myth were basic issues in which the origin laid dormant.

Earlier, the wife of Dr gen Saikia, Labanya Saikia, lit the ceremonial lamp while the Vice-Chancellor of DU, Prof Alak Kumar Buragohain, delivered the iugural address in which he specially spoke on Dr Saikia’s latest book about the history of Assamese people. The Director-in-Charge of DBHCSPA, Prof Karabi Deka Hazarika, welcomed the gathering. The meeting was chaired by the chairman of the PNSSNP and VC of Srimanta Sankardeva University, Prof KK Deka. Various persons also wished Dr Saikia on his birthday.