Skip to content Skip to navigation

Essays on Srimanta Sankaradeva

Essays on Srimanta Sankaradeva authored by Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti is a valuable addition to the works on Indian culture and philosophy. The author has carried out extensive research on Assamese hagiographies, particularly Sankaradeva and different aspects of Sankari culture. The book contains several analytical articles, a few of them that have already been published in different journals or websites. Dr Borkakoti has analysed in this book the significant impact left by the saint litterateur Srimanta Sankaradeva on the socio-cultural as well as economic milieu of Assam. How the medieval polymath influenced the society from literature to culture to economy is exhaustively analysed in this lucid book. Right from economic sustenance of the Sattra institution to the Vivartanavada philosophy of Srimanta Sankaradeva, everything is analysed in a compact manner in these essays. These articles deal with the Vaishnavite saint's contributions, which are quite relevant for knowing Assam's remarkable contributions in the spiritual and literary ecosystems, says Dr Borkakoti. He has successfully described the prominent role of the saint litterateur in shaping the socio-cultural fabric of Assam.

The author has shown how the Sattra institution created by Srimanta Sankaradeva stands out as a unique model of self-sufficiency. He has written elaborately on the economic sustenance of these Sattras based on his own field work covering as many as forty eight Sattras and Thans in different districts of Assam. The author also prescribes viable economic activities for the Sattras so that the currently existing Sattras can sustain themselves in a befitting manner for the present era. Thus it is not only a study, but also a great plan that the author has presented. It may be mentioned that the units set up by the saint himself were known as Than, those set up later as Sattra. This and many such gems of knowledge can be found in these essays by Dr Borkakoti.

The book also elaborates the contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva in areas like feminism, aesthetics, philosophy etc. The Vivartanavada philosophy of the saint is explained with all its features in a valuable essay. The author makes a comparison with other Sanātana Hindu philosophies in his book. He also shows how Srimanta Sankaradeva succeeded in bringing the two parallel paths of wisdom and devotion together. Very few people knew for instance that he was the first to say that Ishwara and Brahma are the same. Spinoza’s philosophy echoed the same after several centuries. Such pathbreaking pronouncements in Indian philosophy needs to be highlighted, to say the least. Dr Borkakoti has done exactly that in his essays. This will go a long way in establishing Srimanta Sankaradeva among the pantheon of saints in India.

Srimanta Sankaradeva was also a pioneer of the drama movement in India, being the first playwright in all modern Indian languages. His plays are called Ankiya plays. He created the unique costume, ornament, make-up etc of the actors worn in his plays. It is hard to find such multi-talented person on earth. The author has elaborated the Aharya of these plays in one of the essays in this book. The author being involved in promotion of these works himself, as he heads an organisation named ‘Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva’, the readers get to know the authentic staff about this culture.

Another fascinating area covered in the book is the comparative study between the ‘Eka Sarana Nama Dharma’ of Srimanta Sankaradeva and Sikhism of Guru Nanak. There are numerous common socio-economic common elements, which have been pointed out by the author. He says that Guru Nanak had spiritual guidance from Srimanta Sankaradeva; in fact Guru Nanak came to Assam to meet the polymath during the first Udasi. This is a great discovery, which will go a long way in establishing Srimanta Sankaradeva with his due status among the medieval luminaries of India.

The author has analysed the works of feminism as reflected in the writings of Srimanta Sankaradeva. The polymath departed from the original version of Ramayana in his Assamese transcreation; he presented his own version of Sita, a revolutionary Sita, who spoke with vengeance against her banishment by Rama. Srimanta Sankaradeva’s Sita is very different from Valmiki’s Sita, the analysis of which itself is sufficient to establish the polymath as a pioneer of feminism. His Sita says that she would never again call herself as Rama’s wife. Such utterance was unheard of in the then Indian literature. Clearly the works of the saint litterateur belonged to a different genre. The author rues that strangely very little is known about Srimanta Sankaradeva outside Assam and his pivotal contributions have been almost forgotten for lack of research. He says that Srimanta Sankaradeva should be reckoned as an unusual genius among all saints of India.


Dr Borkakoti successfully presents a Pan-Indian role of Srimanta Sankaradeva in his book. He showed how the influence of the saint litterateur spread to other regions of India. These include the eulogy of Sant Kabir, the social structure of Odisha influenced by the saint, the Yatra movement of Bengal derived from the Ankiya plays of Srimanta Sankaradeva etc. Certainly these essays by Dr Borkakoti will go far in throwing light on the formative years of many regional cultures of India. ‘Essays on Srimanta Sankaradeva’ is therefore a valuable addition to the study of Indian literature and culture and philosophy.

Add new comment

Random Stories

Mahanta blames Gogoi for meager Central fund

19 May 2012 - 3:46am | editor
AGP president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta on Friday lambasted Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for his failure to ensured adequate funds from the Centre. Addressing a press conference a day after he took over...

ULFA backs anti-immigrant agitation

17 Sep 2012 - 2:51am | editor
ULFA’s anti-talk faction urges strongly backs agitation against illegal migrants to protect the interest of the indigenous people. In a statement e-mailed to media, the outfit’s chairman...

Round Table India’s initiative for Dadara Shishu Niketan

4 Jan 2017 - 8:09pm | AT News
Shankardev Shishu Vidya Niketan School at Dadara near Hajo is ready to get another facelift with the financial support from Guwahati Round Table 235, the Guwahati chapter of Round Table India (www....

Medical Health Camp at Hojai

28 Dec 2017 - 10:29pm | Nikhil Mundra
Hojai: A Medical Health check-up camp was organised by DAIPARC, TI NGO under Assam State AIDS Control Society, (National AIDS Control Organisation & Health & family welfare of Assam) in...

Other Contents by Author

The Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre (IESC) at IIM Shillong recently organized a sponsored bootcamp aimed at nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth of the North East Region (NER). The five-day residential program, held on the picturesque campus of IIM Shillong, concluded successfully on May 5th. The bootcamp, attended by 55 ambitious and energetic participants from both within and outside the region, focused on equipping them with essential skills in entrepreneurship, innovation, business modeling, market dynamics, and leadership qualities. As part of its commitment to the development of the NER, IIM Shillong's IESC initiated this funded bootcamp to provide aspiring...
A Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution of India has been filed in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by advocate Arif Jwadder. The petition appeals against the Gauhati High Court's disposal of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an independent investigation into all fake encounters that took place from May 2021 onwards. The petitioner's counsel, Prashant Bhushan, filed the petition. The Assam government had admitted to 171 police encounters in its affidavit dated 29.09.2022, wherein 56 people died and 145 were injured from May till August 2022. The death toll has increased since then. Despite the material placed on record, the Gauhati High Court didn't...
Mizoram University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham have partnered to launch science, technology and innovation (STI) hubs in the Aizawl and Serchip districts of Mizoram. Funded by the Indian Department of Science...
On 12th December 2022, a devastating fire broke out suddenly at the village called Upper Sonowal of Majuli district in Assam, leaving a trail of destructions among the affected people. The crisis had pushed the affected into an extreme grim situation as they lost everything in the fire. The tragedy had affected vulnerable communities who are also the victims of recurrent floods and river erosions of the island. Following a Rapid Need Assessment (RNA) at the affected community, NEADS had activated its fire tragedy response among the affected communities of the crisis-ravaged areas. With funding from Start Fund, NEADS had undertaken the humanitarian assistance among the affected peoples,...
The Assamese community in Chennai celebrated the Rongali Bihu festival on Sunday, 16th April, 2023 with great zeal and enthusiasm. The event was organized by the Assam Association Chennai (AAC) and was held at the Blue Lagoon resort located at ECR, Chennai. The Rongali Bihu festival is an important cultural event in the state of Assam, which marks the start of New Year and agricultural season for the community. It is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm by the Assamese people, who come together to celebrate their culture and traditions. The Assamese community in Chennai, gathered at the Blue Lagoon resort to celebrate the festival, where various games were organized, including...
Guwahati. WWF-India Assam State Office organized an evening program at Dighali pukhuri park with a walkathon and a performance by WWF volunteers and Assam Earth Hour Influencer Arghadeep Baruah and his band, "Bottle Rockets India", who performed using solar lights and candles on March 25. In addition to these landmarks, the Hon’ble Governor of Assam, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, issued a written message appealing to citizens to join in observing Earth Hour. Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma also participated by working with candlelight at Janata Bhavan. The Education Department of Assam supported Earth Hour by advising schools to participate in the campaign. Historical monuments...
Earth Hour India, in collaboration with HSBC, BYCS India Foundation, EPAM, GCC, and Decathlon-Guwahati, will host a nationwide cycling event called "Pedal for the Planet" on March 25, 2023. The event aims to raise awareness about Earth Hour and promote a healthier, greener, and more sustainable lifestyle. The event will take place in 12 cities across India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, with the goal of creating the Biggest Hour for Earth. People of all ages are encouraged to participate and support the cause of Earth Hour. Dr. Bhairrvi Joshi of the BYCS India Foundation emphasized the importance of cycling as a solution to the urban challenges of physical, mental, and...
Assam-based ensemble Tunetellers has made history with the release of their latest Assamese song, "O' Mon". Composed of award-winning singer-songwriter Rupam Bhuyan, lyricist and poet Sasanka Samir, and music producer Jim Ankan Deka, Tunetellers has introduced a new concept called 'Kothare-Gannere Exondhya', which immerses audiences in poetry and music for a two-hour live musical event. "O' Mon" was recorded live outdoors using a 360° camera, making it the first of its kind in the history of Indian music. Produced by Pragyan Bezbaruah of Pocket Friendly Productions and shot by Music Malt Studios, the video was filmed on the private property of Aabeli Ghat in Tatimara village, Assam, next...
The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Rural Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop skilled manpower for the Ayush healthcare system. The agreement aims to enable rural youth to become a skilled workforce in the sector. In the first phase, the program will train 22,000 rural youths in FY2023-24, with a minimum placement guarantee of 70%. The signing ceremony was attended by Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Giriraj Singh. The program will provide rural youth with an opportunity to be trained in the National Skills Qualification Framework-aligned courses available on the National Qualification Register under the Deen Dayal Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (...
The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) Assam State 2023-2026 Silver Jubilee Committee was sworn in on Sunday at the Moni Kumar Subba Bhawan in Guwahati, with 51 members elected to the committee. The committee is led by President Amar Adhikari from Guwahati, Working President Mohan Lal Sharma from Tinsukia, and Secretary General Nanda Kirati Dewan from Golaghat. In a congratulatory speech, chairman of Gorkha Development Council (GDC), Government of Assam, Prem Tamang appreciated the work of the Parisangh nationally and activities of Assam state. The first Extended Executive Meeting resolved to take up the issue of NRC blocked biometrics. According to Nanda Kirati Dewan, Secretary General,...