The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Regional Centre Ranchi in collaboration with the IGNCA North East Regional Centre Guwahati is organizing a three day event ‘Outreach: Portraying Culture of North East’ through the performance of Sattriya Dance Tradition of Assam and Raasleela of Manipur at Ranchi University. The event began today and will continue till March 30 at the Aryabhatta Auditorium, Ranchi University Campus.

Chief guest Dr. SN Munda, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, Guest of Honour Padma Awardee Mukund Nayak, B. B. Sharma, Deputy Secretary (Academic) IGNCA, Dr. Richa Nehi, Regional Director, IGNCA North East Regional Centre and Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra, Regional Director, Regional Centre Ranchi were present for the inauguration ceremony. A total of 22 artists from the north east states of Assam and Manipur will be performing.

Mishra facilitated the guests and spoke about the endeavor of IGNCA Regional Centres in organising a series of outreach programs to encourage inter- religion cultural exchange and popularizing the art forms of various regions.

Nehi explained the importance of the outreach series and elaborated about the Sattriya and Manipuri artisans of Assam and Manipur respectively. Munda and Nayak expressed their pleasure on being a part of this venture and extended their best wishes to the IGNCA Regional Centres.

The programme began with an inaugural Odissi Dance by Sumedha Sengupta, who performed ‘Ardhanariswar’ choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra, where a composite androgynous form of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati was showcased. Ardhanarishvara was depicted as half-male and half-female, equally split down the middle. The right half illustrating the male and his traditional attributes.

This was followed by Gayan Bayan- a form of Sattriya tradition of Assam. The Sattriya tradition consists of a group of Bhagats disciples in Sattras. This tradition was introduced by Srimanta Sankardev, Saint and reformist in the 14th- 15th century as a part of the Vaishnava Bhakti Movement. Over the years, it has been developed and evolved by the Sattradhikars who are the head monks or gurus of the satras which are the mathas or monasteries where the tradition is preached and propagated. Gayan bayan is a portrayal of the Sattriya tradition which is a part of the Anika- Nat or one act play where music, dance and drama are interrelated. The oral rendition is known as gayan where as the instrumental part is called bayan and is usually performed to praise Sankardev and Madhabdev- his close disciple.

The second and third day of the program will have the Raasleela of Manipur and Mati Akhora of Assam. The audience was mesmerized by the vibrant performace while the artists expressed their joy of being able to perform in the capital.

Towards the end, the anchor Anjani Kumar Sinha thanked the esteemed guests and the viewers for their presence.