Sankardeva and Neo-Vaishnavism in

Assam
Abhijit Bhuyan*

I n the 12
th
and 15
th
century A.D. the soci al fabri c i n I ndi a was tor n by all-out degr adation
and cultur al di storti on, and cor r upti on per meated all secti ons of the soci ety, r i ght fr om the
r uli ng to the pri estly class. Var i ous malpr acti ces wer e commi tted i n the name of r eli gi on,
whi ch vi ti ated the soci al str ucture. Such a si tuation i nspi r ed Hi ndu thi nker s and r efor mer s
of the ti me to evolve a si mpler and li ber al fai th acceptable to all. I n thi s backdrop, the
Vai snava Bhakti movement, based on the li beral doctri ne of bhakti or devoti on, took shape,
and encompassed the whole of I ndi a.
Assam too, was exper i enci ng poli ti cal tur moi l wi th the di fferent pri nci pali ti es fi ghti ng to
hold sway over the enti re r egi on. Thi s chaos and i nstabi li ty was r eflected i n the r eli gi ous
spher e also. Assam i n the 15
th
centur y presented a kalei doscopi c pi ctur e of di ver se shades
and grades of cultur e. Ther e wer e people who loosely adher ed to Vai snavi sm or Sai vi sm
and ther e wer e others who practi sed Saktism bor der i ng on extr eme Tantr i ci sm. The
follower s of these cults i ndulged i n evi l practi ces li ke ani mal and human sacri fi ce, magi cal
r i tes, spells and the li ke. The poor and the downtr odden became vi cti ms of these ghastly
practi ces.
I t was at thi s j unctur e, that the great spi ri tual leader , soci al r efor mer , playwr i ght and
composer, Sri manta Sankardeva appeared on the soci al scene of Assam. He was a multi -
faceted geni us who gave a di r ecti on to the chaotic Assamese soci ety by i ni ti ati ng a fr esh
approach to the exi sti ng Vai snava r eli gi on that gave r i se to a set of new values and ai ded i n
soci al synthesi s.
The wr i ter of thi s ar ti cle di scusses at length about the uni queness of the Neo-Vai snavi te
movement ini ti ated by Sri manta Sankardeva and the far-reachi ng changes that it brought
about i n the Assamese soci ety. The wri ter dwells on the chequer ed j our ney of the Vai snavi te
movement i n Assam through both tr oubled and peaceful ti mes, addi ng new elements to i t
thr ough the ages, wi thout losi ng i ts or i gi nal essence, up to the present ti mes.
The Vai snavi te movement i ni ti ated by Sankar deva ushered i n an era of soci o-cultural
r enai ssance i n Assam as it developed a new genre of phi losophy, ar t and musi c i n the for m
of Bor geets, Anki ya Nats or Bhaonas, Satr i ya dance and the Sankar i school of pai nti ng. The
wr i ter also di scusses about the r ole of the satr as and the namghar s whi ch over the year s
have proved to be the custodi ans of the Neo-Vai snavi te movement and have become an
i ntegral par t of the Assamese soci ety.


Author
A social reform movement swept across India between the 12
th
and 15
th
century A.D. It was
the Bhakti (devotional) movement based on the liberal doctrine of bhakti or devotion. It
initiated new ideas even as it gave birth to new faiths, which at some places of the country
took the shape of a revolution. The context of the new trend is rooted in the societal
degradation and cultural distortion that plagued many parts of India at that time. Under the
corrupting influences of power and wealth and the incipient ritualism that had taken hold of
the priestly and ruling classes of the Hindu society, various malpractices were committed in
the name of religion, which vitiated the social structure. These factors impelled the Hindu
thinkers and reformers of the day to evolve a simpler and liberal faith that would be
acceptable to all alike. This set in motion what subsequently came to be known as the
Vaishnava Bhakti movement, originally started by Alwars of South India and which
thereafter spread to northern India and then to the eastern regions of India. The Vaishnava
Bhakti movement thus encompassed the whole of India and thereby brought about a
renaissance in the socio-religious life of the Indian people. By propounding in general that
divine grace could be achieved through devotion, which was open to all classes and castes,
the movement dispensed with the principle of birth, which hitherto determined access to
salvation through knowledge and ritual. To that extent the movement initiated structural
changes in the socio-religious sphere of the Hindu society and consequential changes in its
value system and equality of relationships.
The Neo-Vaisnavite Movement in Assam:
As in the rest of India, the social, religious and political life in Assam was in a shambles
resulting in a society full of chaos and disorder. Since the beginning of the 13
th
century, the
ancient kingdom of Kamrupa was slowly undergoing a process of disintegration. The whole
of Assam, from the eastern-most Dikkaravasini region to the river Karatoya in the west,
disintegrated into several kingdoms, some of which did not survive more than a few decades.
In the easternmost tract of Assam, ruled a line of Chutiya Kings. To the west of the Chutiya
kingdom lay the Ahom principality. Further west, there was the Kachari kingdom to the
south of the river Brahmaputra and it probably extended at least halfway across the modern
Nagaon district. On both sides of the Brahmaputra to the west of the Kachari kingdom of the
south and Chutiya Kingdom of the North-east, were a number of landed chiefs known as
Bhuyans. The western part of Assam comprising the modern districts of Kamrup, Goalpara
and parts of Cooch-Behar was ruled by a few dynasties during the course of the fourteenth
and the fifteenth centuries and the kingdom was known as Kamatarajya. By the end of the
fifteenth century A.D., however, a new power, viz., the Kochs, under the leadership of Bishwa
Sinha, emerged as the dominant political power in Western Assam. Constant friction and
conflict for supremacy amongst the above powers was the order of the day, which severely
affected the political condition of the region. The political instability brought about a chaotic
condition in the religious sphere also.
Assam in the fifteenth century presented a motley picture of diverse shades and grades of
culture. The majority of the people belonged to non-Aryan tribes having distinct manners,
customs and religious beliefs. Those who professed Hinduism loosely adhered to
Vaishnavism or Saivism; Saktism bordering on extreme Tantricism, was also widely
prevalent. The followers of these cults were all found indulging in evil practices like animal
and sometimes even human sacrifices, magical rites, spells and the like. It was based on the
philosophy of palate and sensual pleasures. The economically backward classes and the
socially downtrodden became the victims of such ghastly practices.

At the other end of the
religious spectrum were the bulk of the indigenous tribal population who followed their
indigenous tribal faiths. Bringing all these diverse communities and warring factions under a
systematized religious code and conduct of life and to provide the masses with a mode of
worship, which would be simple and at the same time accessible to all was what constituted
the pressing need of the time. Against this backdrop, Srimanta Sankardeva appeared on the
scene. A multi-faceted genius, Srimanta Sankardeva was at once a spiritual leader, a social
reformer, a prolific writer and a master playwright and composer. He is credited with
providing the bedrock of Assamese culture, and creating a religion that gave shape to a set of
new values and social synthesis. He was born in the Ahin (September-October) month in
1371 Sakabda (1449 AD) at Tembuani (Bordowa), in the present-day Nagaon district of
Assam.
Srimanta Sankardeva undertook the difficult and arduous task of a reformer at a juncture of
acute crisis in Assamese society and polity. The Neo-Vaishnavite movement initiated by
Srimanta Sankardeva in Assam in the latter period of the 15
th
century ushered in an era of
socio-cultural renaissance in Assam, humanist in content and popular in form, in literature
as well as in the vocal and visual arts. The movement was at once unique in nature and
revolutionary in terms of its impact. The uniqueness of the movement lay in the fact that
unlike other contemporary cults in the rest of India, Srimanta Sankardevas Neo-Vaisnavism
rested not on a discursive reasoning and abstract thinking but its emphasis was more on
ethnic integration, societal reforms and spiritual uplift through an innovative mode of
religious conduct based on indigenous elements of the region, at a time when the society in
Assam was in a turmoil fragmented and faction-ridden as it was. It was revolutionary in the
sense that Neo-Vaisnavism in Assam meant not only a religious faith but a way of life. It
encompassed their social, cultural and religious spheres even as it brought about a change in
very outlook on life and the world. Neo-Vaisnavism stands out among the different Bhakti
cults of India in terms of its unique and innovative character, which found expression in the
move to create an egalitarian civil society based on the shared values of fraternity, equity,
humanism and democracy.
This new creed of faith started by Srimanta Sankardeva is officially known as Eka-Sarana-
Naam-Dharma. Sankardeva preached devotion to a single God, Lord Krishna or Vishnu,
(Eka Sarana) who can be worshiped solely by uttering His various names (Naam). Srimanta
Sankardeva considered the sravana and kirtana modes of bhakti or devotion as prescribed
by the Bhagavata-Purana to be sufficient. They are accessible to the highest and lowest, men
and women alike, irrespective of birth, caste or status and no rigid theocratic laws are to be
followed by the votary. Idol worship does not feature in Srimanta Sankardevas system. The
Radha-Krishna cult is not acknowledged in this system of Vaisnavism, nor is any shakti
(energy represented in a female form) of Lord Vishnu to be recognised. The four
fundamental elements of Neo-Vaisnavism are (i) God, (ii) Guru (the religious preceptor)
(iii) the fraternity of Bhakats (devotees) and (iv) Naam. Of the different attitudes of bhakti,
Srimanta Shankardeva advocated dasya or servitude to God. Eka-Sarana-Naam-Dharma is
also known as Mahapurushia Dharma, after Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, who
founded it.

The Neo-Vaisnavite movement commenced in Assam in the first decade of the 16
th
century
and reached its climax towards the middle of the 17
th
century. It started on a missionary note
by working towards the uplift of the backward classes and minimization of the rigours of
caste distinctions. The peripheral groups including the so-called untouchables and backward
classes and tribes were taken into the new fraternity. The earliest attempts to bring the
backward tribes, castes and classes into the fold of Vaisnavism was made by Srimanta
Sankardeva himself who accepted Govinda belonging to the Garo tribe; Paramananda,
belonging to the Miri (Mishing) tribe; Narahari, an Ahom man; Narottama belonging to the
Naga community; Jayarama, a Bhutiya person; Candsai, a Muslim person; and Bhattadeva, a
Brahmin scholar as his disciples. They all took part in the bhaona performances (religious
plays) and when required acted as guides to analyze the essence of Eka Sarana Naam
Dharma. In his popular work, Kirtana-ghosa, Srimanta Sankardeva announces:
Nahi bhakatita jati-ajati vicara
(There is no sense of caste difference in Bhakti)
i

Thus, people from all castes and walks of life were received by Srimanta Sankardeva as
disciples; and they could even act as teachers in his Vaisnava Order. A democratic outlook
permeates the entire teachings and practices of the Neo-Vaisnavite faith in Assam. On the
one hand, God has been brought down from the metaphysical heights to the reach of the
ordinary people, on the other hand the status of human being, indeed all creatures, has been
elevated by insisting on the relation of God and soul. Srimanta Sankardevas concerns were
not limited to human rights alone but they extended even to include animal and plant rights,
as is evident from some of his literary contributions. It is based on the simple principle that
every living being is Gods creation. The fundamental principle of the Neo-Vaishnavite
philosophy was enlightenment of the human conscience through universal love. As a pointer
to the fact, one may quote a verse from the Kirtana-ghosha written by Srimanta Sankardeva.
It gives Lord Krishnas last words to his devotee, Uddhava. The opening sentence of the verse
is as follows:
uddhanaka sambudhi matanta Krishna pache
In this verse, Lord Krishna explains to Uddhava what the mystic doctrine of love is and asks
him to practice it with an unperturbed mind. Lord Krishna then goes on to declare that he
lives in all creatures and that all creatures have to be taken as Vishnu and respected. He
alone is learned who makes no discrimination between a Brahman and a chandala, sees the
image of Vishnu in all creatures, possesses the same regard for the benevolent and the thief,
has the same understanding for the vile and the good. Such a man is liberated from jealousy,
envy, hatred and egotism. Lord Krishna further says that the bhakta (devotee) is His soul
and that He is the bhaktas soul in turn.
ii

The missionary work started amongst the backward classes by the early reformers, was
extensively carried out by their successors and followers during the succeeding periods.
Members of such tribes as the Koches, the Ahom, the Kachari, the Chutiyas and the Nagas
soon took to the new creed of Vaisnavism. People of the so-called untouchables or lower
castes came to live in fellowship with those of the highest castes in Assamese villages and
they could take part in all functions of the villages. Accordingly, Neo-Vaisnavism soon
became a veritable movement with a mass appeal.
The movement as mentioned above commenced in the first decade of the 16
th
century and
reached its climax towards the middle of the 17
th
century. The religious reformers of the first
two centuries including Srimanta Sankardeva and his direct disciple Mahapurush
Madhavdeva initially faced a lot of difficulties, hardships and opposition from the state and
vested interests, the latter determined on preserving the status quo. Various allegations were
levied against Srimanta Sankardeva. Though it is difficult to seek a clear and consistent stand
either on the part of the Ahom monarchs or the Koch Kings of Western Assam with regard to
the neo-Vaisnavite movement, on the whole, the movement did not have a smooth ride
during the early part of its history. But later on, in spite of royal indifference or hostility, the
state had to acknowledge it by the beginning of the 18
th
century. By this time Neo-
Vaisnavism got firmly entrenched and established in the Brahmaputra valley, with an
unprecedented mass following.
As mentioned earlier, the NeoVaisnavite movement initiated by Srimanta Shankardeva
ushered in an era of socio-cultural renaissance in Assam even as it developed a new genre of
philosophy, art and music in the form of Borgeets (devotional hymns heralding a new
classical school of music), Ankiya Nats or Bhaonas (a theatre form introduced for the first
time by Srimanta Sankardeva and which became increasingly popular with the masses,
centering around themes from the Bhagavata-purana. and the Ramayana) as well as the
Satriya dance as modes of conveying the principles of Ek-Sarana-Naam-Dharma, centering
around single minded devotion to Lord Krishna or Vishnu based on a spirit of equality and
humanism which found concrete manifestation in the institution of the Namghar. A new
school of painting was also developed by Srimanta Shankardeva, just like his dance and
music. It is known as the Sankari school of painting. He initiated this new form of painting
with his epoch-making drama Chinha-yatra, which was enacted in 1468 AD at Tembuwani
(Bordowa) in Assam. Incidentally, this happened to be the first play in any modern Indian
language. Chinha-yatra brought about a new era in the cultural history of India. It was the
first play in the world where elevated stage and drop-scenes were used
i ii
. It launched the
regional drama movement in medieval India. Srimanta Sankardeva depicted seven
Vaikunthas (the celestial abode of Lord Vishnu) in scrolls, which were used as backdrops
there.
For most of his works, Srimanta Sankardeva used the Assamese language of the period so the
lay person could read and understand them. But for dramatic effect in his songs and dramas
he used Brajavali, an artificial mixture of Braj language and Assamese. His magnum opus is
his Kirtana-ghosha containing narrative verses in praise of Lord Krishna and meant for
community singing. A copy of the Kirtana-ghosha is found in nearly every household in
Assam. Srimanta Sankardeva and his disciples used many instruments for a dramatic effect
in his songs and dramas. All these were innovated indigenously. Two of the most important
of these instruments are the Khol (a form of drum with a unique acoustic property) and the
Bortal (big cymbals).
Neo-Vaisnavite Institutions - The Satra and the Namghar:
The hallmark of the Neo-Vaisnavite movement initiated by Srimanta Sankardeva is reflected
in two distinctively unique institutions, viz., the Satra and the Namghar, both of which are
intimately associated with the social, cultural as well as religious life of the Assamese society.
The Namghar actually evolved as an offshoot, an extended wing or a minature replica of the
Satra institution. Accordingly, while tracing the origins of the Namghar, a brief account of
its parent body, the Satra becomes necessary.
To create an atmosphere where single-minded devotion to God based on a fellowship of
devotees or Bhakats under the guidance of a Guru or teacher could be achieved, the Satra
institution was brought into existence and it became a well organized and a popular
institution within a century of its inception. In fact, the most distinguishing feature of
Assamese Neo-Vaisnavism is the network of decentralized monasteries the Satra, literally
meaning holy areas each headed by a Guru (teacher) designated as the Satradhikar. At
Tembuwani (Bordowa), the birth place of Srimanta Sankardeva, the saint set up his first
Kirtanghar (prayer hall), with houses for the devotees within the compound and on the four
sides of the Kirtanghar. The Kirtanghar was the nerve centre of the entire place. It was a
long and open hall, where the devotees sat together to sing the glory of God. There was no
idol in the altar, but only a book, generally the Bhagavata, symbolising God. In addition to
prayers and cultural functions, religious discourses were also held in the Kirtanghar. One of
the functions of these satras was to initiate aspirants to Neo Vaishnavism. This activity of
initiation by the Satras prepared the ground for cultural integration of different sections of
the Assamese society with increasing numbers of both tribal and non-tribal sections of the
Brahmaputra valley population accepting the new creed, which had a strong democratic
content based on a common code of conduct. It is important to recall that after Sankardevas
death, the movement was no longer monolithic. Variations and multiple leaderships emerged
with Sankardevas direct disciple Madhavdeva and his protg Gopaldeva (aka Gopal Atta)
carrying forward the Sankarite tradition in its original vibrant form, thereby commanding
larger following than the other disciples of Srimanta Sankardeva, namely, Damordeva. The
Neo-Vaisnavite movement initiated by Srimanta Sankardeva, by and large, remained
confined to the western part of the Brahmaputra valley during his lifetime. After his demise,
his chief apostle Mahapurush Madhavdeva succeeded him to be the head of the order.
Madhavdeva, a man of vision and action, sent twelve disciples to different parts of Assam to
spread the message of Eka-Sarana-Nama-Dharma propagated by Sankardeva.
By the end of the seventeenth century, ideological differences resulted in the emergence of
orders or samhatis of Satras- (i) Purusha (ii) Nika (iii) Kala and (iv) Brahma. The
Purusha samhati derives its origin from Purusottama Thakura, the eldest grandson of
Srimanta Sankardeva. The Satras of this samhati were founded by the preachers belonging
to Srimanta Sankardevas direct line or Purusha. This samhati lays emphasis on Naam or
prayer. The Nika samhati was founded by Mathuradas Burha-Ata and Badaluwa Padma-Ata.
They organized their Satras in strict conformity with the rules and regulations prescribed by
Madhavdeva and their adherents and paid great attention to outward cleanliness (nika). In
this samhati, the position of Madhavdeva is more important than that of Srimanta
Sankardeva, the latter being revered as the Guru (teacher) of their Guru. The Satras
established by Gopaldeva and his successors formed the Kala-samhati. The Kala-samhati
gave the guru a supreme position. It was more egalitarian in outlook and more liberal in
matters of caste than other samhatis. Besides, the Satradhikars of these Satras preached
mainly among the tribal and so-called backward or depressed people of the region. Though
these Satras had caste Hindus in their fold, their disciples mainly consisted of people from
the Kachari, Ahom, Kaivarta, Brittiyal, Chutiya and Moran communities. The most
prominent Satras of this samhati were the Moamaria and Dihing Satras. The Moamaria
Satra was distinguished by strong democratic traditions with a large congregation of people
of Tibeto-Burmese origin. The Brahma samhati consisted of the sub-sects of Damodardeva
and Harideva, two Brahmin disciples of Srimanta Sankardeva. Most of the Satras affiliated
to this samhati are headed by Brahmin preceptors; hence the name Brahma samhati. This
samhati permits Vedic rites and devotional practices alongside Nama Kirtana and lays
highest importance on Deva (God) in comparison to the other three fundamental aspects,
viz., Guru, Nama and Bhakat. The genre of art and culture stemming from the Satras are
part of a living cultural tradition. The Satras have been serving as the very custodian of the
Assamese cultural identity.
The first stage of evolution of the Satra naturally began with Srimanta Sankardeva. But in his
times, the religious association organized by him did not take the shape of a regular
institution of a permanent nature. Sankardeva, as has already been mentioned earlier began
preaching at his native place Bordowa and built a Satra there.
It was during the time of Madhavdeva and Damordeva that the Satra institution attained the
second phase of its growth. The architectural structure of the Satra also received the final
shape during this period. It thus came to possess the prayer hall (Namghar) and the Manikut
with the wooden throne (Singhasana) attached to the former and containing a sacred
scripture.
The Satra institution, by the middle of the 17
th
century, firmly established itself and the royal
authority had to accord recognition to Srimanta Sankardevas faith. Subsequently, the Ahom
kings and nobles accepted Neo-Vaisnavism. The Satras played a great role in the social life
of the people. The Hindu Assamese had now two affiliations: that of temporal allegiance to
the state and the king, and that of spiritual submission to Neo-Vaisnavism and a Guru, the
head of a Satra. The leaders of Neo-Vaishnavism by this time found a more peaceful and
accommodating atmosphere to preach their faith and consequently numerous branches of
Satras were established by family members and disciples of the principal Neo-Vaisnavite
(religious) leaders of the 16
th
and 17
th
centuries. The period between 1650-1800 may properly
be called the era of the growth of the branch-Satra (sakha-Satra). One component of the
Satra institution, the Kirtanghar, became an integral part of every Assamese village in
Assam over time. It became popular by another name too, the Namghar. Over time it came
to be an integral part of every Hindu village of Assam. As a result every Assamese village
came under the religious influence of one Satra or the other and its influence even
penetrated gradually into the neighbouring tribal areas. The Satras gave Assam a rich
religious literature, besides reviving and popularizing the art of classical music and dance.
As institutions having an unmatched symbolic value and commanding deepest of reverence
from all sections of the people of Assam, the role of Satras becomes immensely significant in
terms of reaching out to the people. In this context one might mention the role of the Satras
during the National Freedom Struggle with special reference to the role played by the
Satradhikar of Garmur Satra in Majuli situated in Jorhat District of Assam, Sri Pitambar
Goswami. It was due to his efforts that the anti-opium and boycott programmes and
eradication of untouchability became popular slogans and practices in the island even before
the Congress adopted them seriously
i v
. Lately, the Asom Satra Mahasabha was formed at the
initiative of a few visionary Satradhikars or heads of Satras of such places as Jorhat,
Sivasagar, Majuli, Nagoan, Kaliabor and Tezpur in Assam with a view to bringing
coordination in the religious and cultural activities of the Satras across the different
samhatis or orders. Originally launched as Satra Sanmilan in 1915, it subsequently came to
be known as Satra Sangha and finally in 1990, it was renamed as Asom Satra Mahasabha.
The organization has undertaken a number of steps in the direction of restoration of the
atmosphere of peace and integration in Assam. As part of its efforts, it organized a massive
peace rally in the State on October 31, 1999 from Sadiya to Dhubri in which people from
different linguistic and ethnic groups from different parts of Assam took part in great
numbers. The organization appealed for peace and harmony to the participants, numbering
around nine thousand, who finally gathered at the Judges Field in Guwahati. Again on
November 17, 2000 and on December 17, 2000, similar rallies were held in Dhubri and
Rajmai respectively. However, the most notable step taken by the Assam Satra Mahasabha
has been the Bhaona festival called Setubandha (literally meaning building bridges) which
it has been organizing periodically since 2003.
Aimed at achieving cultural integration in the society, the hallmark of this festival is the
participation by the various ethnic tribes and communities of Assam such as the Mising,
Sonwal Kachari, Nepali and tea tribe communities to name a few. They are imparted training
by the organization itself. The first such festival was held in Guwahati in 2003 and the
Mahasabha together with Srimanta Foundation has since been organizing the festival at
regular intervals. It may be noted here that over the years, the Bhaonas performed in the
Satra premises have helped to evolve the system of Sattriya dance which officially has been
given the status of a classical dance form, belatedly though. The Satriya dance is an integral
part of the Assamese cultural identity. Accordingly, the Satras have an immense role to play
as custodians of the Neo-Vaisnavite tradition and emerge as nerve-centres from where the
entire Neo-Vaisnavite genre of song, dance, plays and literature can spread far and wide.
As has already been mentioned earlier, one component of the Satra institution, the
Kirtanghar or Namghar, became an integral part of every Assamese village in Assam over
time. The establishment of the village Namghar came about with the idea of popularizing the
Neo-Vaisnavite faith to the masses. The Namghar came to serve as a forum of not only
religious but also socio-cultural activities of the community. In fact, the existence of these
prayer halls is noticed in almost every Assamese village. The village Namghar has for the last
four hundred years has been serving as the village public hall: it is at once a village prayer
hall, a cultural centre, a village court
v
and a village parliament
v i
, thereby providing a
common forum for the villagers to assemble in an atmosphere of goodwill and cooperation.
The village Namghars operate and are managed on democratic principles. The Namghars
since the time of Srimanta Sankardeva have been so designed and constructed that people of
all races and tribes living in this part of the country could easily enter them and take part in
congregational prayers and the like. Thus, significantly, the Namghar is built without walls
or if at all, only with half walls with two rows of pillars with a thatched or tin roof. This has a
great deal of symbolic value in terms of promotion of the ideal of equality. An open wall-less
Namghar underscores the point that its doors are open to everyone and that it is an
inclusivist institution embracing all people without making any discrimination among them
along such artificial lines as caste, creed, religion, tribe or language. All activities of the
Namghar are directed towards the Singhasana, a wooden throne, in which is kept a sacred
book composed by either Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardeva or his direct disciple
Mahapurush Madhavdeva. These include the Dasham, the Kirtan-ghosha, the Naam-
ghosha, Bhakti-Ratnavali, etc. The wooden throne may be a three, five or seven storied one
with a canopy called Chandratap over it. The shrine is adorned with beautifully woven
Gamochas (a form of local fabric) contributed by the villagers. A brass or bell metal lamp
stand is kept in front of the shrine. It is known as the Akhyoy Banti. The Namghar has a
fixed drum or what is known as Doba in Assamese. It is sounded twice every day, once in the
morning and once in the evening. The size of the Namghar varies depending on the
population of the village. The corporate life of an Assamese village moves centering round
the village Namghar. It is constructed by the joint labour of the villagers. Every household is
considered as a unit and therefore, each household is required to place the service of at least
one member of the family in constructing and maintaining the Namghar. Every household
must contribute proportionately to the Namghar according to the number of its members in
cash or kind. Those who are not in a position to contribute are required to put additional
labour in the cause of the Namghar. The daily religious functions held in the Namghar are
performed on a co-operative basis. Tasks like the kindling of light, cleansing and sweeping of
the floor and making arrangements for materials necessary for daily services are done by
each household by rotation, depending upon its capacity. The Namghar is the centre of
cultural activities of the villagers. The Namghar becomes the venue for congregational
chanting of prayers or Naam-Prasangas, singing of Borgeets or classical devotional songs
composed by Srimanta Sankardeva and his disciple Madhavdeva and enactment of Bhoanas
on various occasions. No discrimination is made in terms of class or caste in distributing
roles in the Bhaonas held at the Namghar. The villagers contribute according to their
capacity and aptitude to make the performance a success. Accordingly, the staging of such
performances in the village Namghar unites all castes and classes under a common cultural
tradition. It may be mentioned here that an entire handicraft based cottage industry
centering around the Bhoana performances has also sprung up over the years. The Namghar
has thereby contributed immensely to the overall socio-cultural development of the
Assamese people. The role of the Namghar as a panchayati institution can hardly be
exaggerated. In fact, Srimanta Sankardeva in medieval Assam conceived the idea of
community development and Panchayati Raj and through the institution of the village
Namghar, he united the village communities to settle their common disputes in accordance
with their local judicial procedures and methods. The villagers assemble here on various
occasions to discuss matters concerning their village. The Namghar, in its capacity as a
village parliament has traditionally been a vibrant centre of community development
activities. On the premises of the Namghar are taken collective decision regarding various
issues of community life ranging from construction of water tanks to educational institutions.
Since at the Namghar the people of the village themselves, or more precisely, the raij, (the
general body of the villagers composing of eldest male member from each household of the
village) take decision on issues which directly matter to them, the Namghar provides an
effective forum for decentralized planning and decision making.
The Namghar as a village court, witnesses the village elders (raij), assembling in its premises
to try cases of moral or social delinquency on the part of any villager with the help of the
relevant Raij-Medhi or Barmedhi, the local agents of the Satras concerned (of which the
parties involved in the dispute are disciples). Punishments are then meted out according to
the nature of the offence. However, criminal cases are kept outside the purview and only
minor cases of moral and civil nature are tried. The ruling of the Namghar is generally taken
as binding upon both the plaintiff and the accused, which the latter can afford to violate only
at the risk of social ostracism.
In the light of the above discussion, it can be concluded that the neo-Vaisnavite tradition
initiated by Srimanata Sankardeva, in terms of its humanistic philosophy, art, literature,
music and institutions stands at the very core of the Assamese cultural identity even as it
contributes immensely to the process of socialization in Assam. Adherence to the Neo-
Vaisnavite philosophy in its true spirit is the key to building a vibrant civil society based on
peace, goodwill, mutual respect, social justice and self-help.
i
Neog, Maheswar : The Contribution of the Sankardeva Movement to the Culture and Civilisation of India, Guwahati,
Forum for Shankardeva Studies, 1998. p.18.
ii
Neog, Maheswar: Sankardeva, NBT, 2000. Page No. 86.
iii
Borkakoti, Dr Sanjib Kumar: Unique Contributions of Srimanta Shankardeva in Religion and Culture, Nagaon,
Srimanta Sankardeva Sangha, 2006, p.82.
iv
Nath, Dambarudhar published in Bhuyan, Arun, Nationalist Upsurge in Assam, Guwahati, Government of Assam,
2000, p.137
v
Neog, Maheswar: Sankardeva, NBT, 2000. Page No. 41.
vi
Sharma, S.N.: The Neo-Vaisnavite Movement and the Satra Institution of Assam, Gauhati University, Department of
Publication, Gauhati University, 1966, p. 155.


Abhijit Bhuyan was born on December 16, 1977. Besides being a Ph.D scholar, he is at present an
Academic Consultant in Political Science at K.K.Handique State Open University, Guwahati.
Author of several valuable books, he can be contacted at [email protected], or at his mobile:
98644-21517.
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ABOUT ISHANI
The Sanskrit nomenclature for the North-east direction is Ishanya or Ishan-Kon. Hence anything concerning
the North-east or Ishan-Kon is ISHANI. Keeping this in view, we have selected ISHANI as the name of our
journal.
ISHANI will aim at presenting developments in the North-Eastern region, which may otherwise escape
notice of the national media. It will also be our effort to evolve ISHANI as a window to view the fascinating,
bewildering mosaic that is the North-east India. We will carry views and reflections of the people from the
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different voluntary action groups in the region. The life and work of prominent personalities of the North-
east will also be presented.
As ISHANI is being published as the journal of Mahatma Gandhi Ishani Foundation, we will inevitably carry
articles and other materials related to the life and thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi. This will be one of our
highly cherished objectives. The publication of ISHANI has become possible through the generous donation
of a donor group. It will continue to be published as a bimonthly journal for some time. ISHANI is a mission
aimed at rendering service to the North-east and the rest of the country by being a communication bridge
between the two regions. We seek goodwill, support, cooperation and blessings from our well-wishers.
Editor