Context:
Assam government to create a law an indigenous-only zone around Batadrava, the birthplace of Srimanta Sankaradeva who propounded neo-Vaishnavism.
About Srimanta Sankaradev:
- A great Assamese saint, scholar, poet, playwright, social reformer and founder of Vaishnavism in Assam.
- He inspired the Bhakti movement in Assam and united people through his neo-vaishnavite movement – Ekasaran Naam Dharma.
- Sankardev enriched Assamese language and literature through his poetry, dramas (ankia naat, Bhaona) and songs (borgeet & bhatima).
- He was also the father of Assamese classical dance – Sattriya Dance.
About Bhaona:
- It is a mythology-based theatrical performance created by Sankardeva.
- The plays of bhaona are popularly known as Ankiya Nats and their staging is known as bhaona.
- A Bhaona usually involves 40-50 people and has dialogues, songs and dances by performers in costumes and ornaments.
- In a Bhaona, the orchestral attire is stark white and the actors wear glittering costumes representing various kings, queens, demon and animals.
- The performers pass through an archway of lights, which is called ‘Agni Garh’.
- They speak dialogues in Brajawali (a special language used in Bhaona)often in lyrical form.
- The main drama is generally proceeded by a performance of the Gayan-Bayan.
Gayan-Bayan is a musical, performed with traditional instruments (Khol, Taal, Doba and Nagara; all the instruments were also created by Sankardeva) with different hard and fast sequences, and formulas, which are also named differently.
Neo-Vaishnavism (Ekasarana Dharma):
- It focuses on devotion (bhakti) to Krishna in the form of congregational listening (sravan).
- Major sacred text – Bhagavat of Sankardeva.
- It emphasized religious practices of bhakti rather than systematically expounding philosophical viewpoints.
- Though Ekasarana recognizes the impersonal (nirguna) god, it recognizes the personal (saguna) one as worshipful.
- Influenced 2 medieval kingdoms – Koch and the Ahom kingdoms
- The assembly of devotees he founded, evolved over time into monastic centers known as Sattras.
- His ideas were approved by the Matak Kingdom, which was formed by Bharat Singha and consolidated by Sarbananda Singha in the late 18th century.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
With reference to culture history of India,consider the following statements:
1. Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna.
2. Tyagaraja created several new ragas.
3. Annamacharya and Tyagaraja are contemporaries.
4. Annamacharya kirtnas are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venketshwara.
Which of the statement is given above are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Tyagaraja’s songs and compositions are full of devotion to his god Rama. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
Tyagaraja was born on 14th May 1767 in the village of Thiruvayaru in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu whereas TaḷḷapākaAnnamācārya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century Hindu saint. Hence statement 3 is not correct.
