By Dalim Phukan<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Guwahati\/Assam , Sep 17 : The Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, a cultural and literary organisation working to promote and preserve the legacy of Srimanta Sankaradeva, has undertaken a series of innovative initiatives since its formation in May 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike many organisations bearing the name of Srimanta Sankaradeva that primarily focus on organisational and religious activities, the Society has concentrated on the secular dimensions of Sankari culture and literature and on creating new avenues for taking the legacy to a wider audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Society was formed in May 2011 with Dr Sanjib Kr Borkakoti as its President. One of its major contributions has been the creation of the website www.sankaradeva.com, launched in 2012. Designed by eminent web designer Ashim Dutta, the website contains research articles by scholars, digitised copies of medieval manuscripts, audio recordings of Bargeet and a selected bibliography, making it a valuable resource for researchers of Sankaradeva studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Society organised the first international conference on Majuli in 2012. The papers presented at the conference were later published in book form, edited by Dr Sanjib Kr Borkakoti. The book was listed among the top twenty books published in the country in 2017. Continuing its engagement with Majuli, the Society organised Majuli Friendship Day in 2016, felicitated environmentalist Jadav Payeng for his contribution to ecological restoration and explored inexpensive methods of addressing erosion in Majuli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The organisation has also conducted programmes on unconventional themes. In 2011, it organised a workshop on the \u201cRelevance of Sankaradeva Legacy in Management\u201d at Dibrugarh University in association with its Centre for Management Studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2016, the Society organised SANGEETAM, a Bargeet Samaroh at Duliajan under the sponsorship of the Sattriya Kendra of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Several maestros performed Bargeet in full classical style, with the initiative seeking to bring together the three sub-schools of Bargeet associated with Bardowa, Barpeta and Majuli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Society has also played a role in recognising artists associated with Sankari art and culture. Eight artists were felicitated in Jorhat in 2012 for their contributions. In 2014, the organisation celebrated Nagaon Friendship Day, during which eleven more artists were honoured and provided financial assistance. According to the Society, several artists felicitated and highlighted through its initiatives subsequently received national honours, including the Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2022, the Society conducted a workshop on Brajawali in Guwahati and organised several webinars during the COVID period. In 2026, it became a partner of the Dronah Foundation, National Institute of Urban Affairs and ICOMOS India in an initiative to document seven historically significant cities of Northeast India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Society has also raised issues concerning the preservation and wider recognition of Assam’s cultural heritage. In 2013, it sought a categorical commitment from Richard Blurton, then Curator of the British Museum, regarding the possibility of bringing the Vrindavani Bastra to Assam for public display. The Society asserted the claim of the people of Assam to the historic textile, and the Curator agreed to lend it to Assam for public display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another major initiative has been its demand for the inclusion of the life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva in national and state-level curricula. The Society sent appeals to NCERT and SCERT. NCERT subsequently incorporated information about Sankaradeva in a history textbook, while SCERT, according to the Society, did not promise a revision in its response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Society has published books including English translations of Srimanta Sankaradeva’s Bargeet and Gunamala. It has also undertaken an innovative programme to train young people in the preparation and painting of Sanchipat manuscripts, an art form that was once facing decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The manuscript workshops, conducted by heritage expert and Society Secretary Mridu Moucham Bora, have been organised at institutions and heritage sites including Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati, Batadrava Than at Bordowa, Dhing College, Mangaldoi College and the Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Guwahati. The Society states that around 2,200 youths across Assam have so far been trained in this craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In line with the New Education Policy, the Society launched an undergraduate internship programme on \u201cManuscript and Manuscriptology\u201d in 2025, beginning with Dhing College. In 2026, the programme was extended to Mangaldoi College, Jagiroad College and Karmashree Hiteswar Saikia College. A six-month add-on course on Manuscript and Manuscriptology has also been introduced at the Sankardev Study Centre of Jagiroad College (Autonomous).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Society has extended its cultural activities beyond Assam as well. In 2014, it organised a national seminar on Srimanta Sankaradeva’s contributions at Madhupur Than in Cooch Behar, aimed at creating awareness about his works in West Bengal. Scholars from Assam and West Bengal participated, while Sankari culture was also presented. The initiative was followed by the Government of Assam beginning sponsorship of the Madhupur Mahotsav.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2016, the Society participated in the first Make in India Week organised by the Government of India in Mumbai. A seven-member team demonstrated the production of Aharya of Ankiya Bhaona, in collaboration with the Sangeet Natak Akademi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A significant institutional initiative came in 2016 with the establishment of a Cultural Heritage Centre at Dhing. The centre comprises an Aharya Production Centre and a Manuscript Conservation and Resource Centre. Conservation activities are now carried out there, including work on Sanchipat manuscripts and other artefacts rescued from flood-affected areas of Upper Assam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the latest rescue effort mentioned by the Society, a team led by Mridu Moucham Bora rescued 101 manuscripts and four wooden objects from an area of Upper Assam submerged by floodwater in July 2026. The rescued manuscripts are to be digitised and uploaded to the digital archive maintained through www.sankaradeva.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The initiatives of the Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva thus encompass digital preservation, manuscript conservation, cultural documentation, research, artist recognition, youth training and the promotion of Sankari literature and performing arts. Its activities over the years have sought to create new platforms for preserving and disseminating the diverse cultural legacy associated with Srimanta Sankaradeva.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Dalim Phukan Guwahati\/Assam , Sep 17 : The Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, a cultural and literary organisation working to promote and preserve the legacy of Srimanta Sankaradeva, has undertaken<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":155928,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6019,23495],"class_list":["post-155927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories","tag-assam","tag-guwahati"],"yoast_head":"\n