A 45 day long workshop on Aharya of Ankiya Bhaona was held in Assam under the auspices of the Society for SrimantaSankaradeva, an international organization engaged in promoting the legacy of Sankaradeva across the world.
The workshop sponsored by Sattriya Kendra of SangeetNatakAkademi took place from December 14 to January 27 at the Pragati Library inDhing.
Experts JadabMahanta, UtpalBania, Haren Goswami, Nityananda Goswami, TibrajyotiBairagi, Rani Dutta Barua, MriduMoucham Bora, Chittaranjan Bora, Kalyan Saikia and others trained the participants inmaking costumes, ornaments, masks, properties, headgears and even make-up among others. The workshop was led by both theory and practical classes. Weaving looms were set up to weave the requisite cloth in front of the participants, who also joined the weaving process.
Manoj Kumar Das, Director of Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship as well as several bank officials also trained the participants in entrepreneurship. It may be noted that the goal of this workshop was to equip the participants in a manner that they could start their own production units of Aharya in different parts of Assam. Among those who interacted with the participants during the workshop were Dr.Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, Dipak Saikia Pradip Hazarika, Deva Goswami,Sattradhikar of the NikamulSattraPunyabrata, Pabitrapran Bora, Cultural Secretary of the SrimantaSankaradevaSanghaand the Registrar of the SrimantaSankaradevaViswavidyalaya, Dr.Ratul Chandra Bora. Several scholars from Tezpur University also visited the workshop.
Products made during the workshop were exhibited on the concluding day. The exhibition was inaugurated by RajatGanguli, Director, SangeetNatakAkademi, Northeast Centre. Speaking on the occasion he said that the Society for SrimantaSankaradeva had achieved great success in reviving an age-old tradition and imparting it to the new generation. He assured that SangeetNatakAkademi would henceforth extend all possible assistance sought.
The valedictory session was presided over by Dr.Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, President, Society for SrimantaSankaradeva during which he expressed his gratitude to SangeetNatakAkademi for all the support received.
Toward evening, the participants in collaboration with the members of the PragatiAharyaenacted the AnkiyaBhaona 'Sri Ram Vijay'. The Bhaona was inaugurated by Dr.Kandarpa Kr. Deka, Vice Chancellor of MahapurushaSrimantaSankaradevaViswavidyalaya, Nagaon.
According to him the Society for SrimantaSankaradeva had enabled the spread of SrimantaSankaradeva's legacy across the world. General Secretary of the AsomSattraMahasabhaJibeswar Deva Goswami speaking on the occasion said that the workshop has been able to impartthe essential know-how about the production of Aharya in correct form. The concluding ceremony saw the presence ofBhaona artist DebaMahanta, researcher Dr.Biman Hazarika, social activist KushaMahantaand several others.
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