Partners in change
ANJANA RAJAN
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In the ongoing series on accompanists, meet seven Sattriya musicians.
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Photo: K.V. SRINIVASAN
IN TANDEM The members of the Sattriya troupe.
White is the colour of their clothes, white the ambience they evoke. As Sattriya, the last Indian dance form so far to be declared by the Sangeet Natak Akademi as classical, transforms itself into a sophisticated performing art, the musicians who are an intrinsic part of it find their lives changing. Assam's Sattriya dance, once performed only by the Vaishnava monks, is now performed by women too. An interesting feature of Sattriya is that the traditional percussionists are all also dancers. Only instrumentalists and singer remain seated at the side throughout. So dancer Sharodi Saikia, recently in Chennai to perform as part of the December season, is correct in referring to her musicians as co-artistes instead of accompanists.
Vocalist Devshankar Barman admits that music is not the preferred occupation for those who want to make a lot of money, though it is good as a recreational activity. His father, though gave him "100 per cent support," says the graded vocalist of All India Radio, Guwahati. Now, though, chips in an enthusiastic young Dwijen Barman, percussionist, the scene has become more "commercial". "There is competition, and it makes us perform better," says Dwijen.
Dwijen, who learnt Bihu in his childhood, left his village for Guwahati and learnt vocal music to accompany Sattriya from the late Narendranath Das, who then sent him to train under a Sattriya guru. Dwijen, who dances and plays the khol and various cymbals (taal), proudly names his gurus: Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Saikia Borbayan, Ghanakanta Bora Borbayan, Jibanjit Dutta and Ramkrishna Talukdar.
Dhrubajyoti Pathak, another percussionist, belongs to a family of grihasta monks (not bound by the vow of celibacy) of Barpeta, an important centre of Sattriya music where Madhavdeva, Sankaradeva's prime disciple, initiated cultural activities. For Dhrubajyoti, it was a natural evolution to become a Sattriya dancer, singer and percussionist. "My grandfather and father all played the taal," says the young man who trained under the late Narahari Burha Bhakat, celebrated for bringing to light the Bhortaal Nritya, or dance of the cymbals.
Khol players and dancers Prahlad Kakati Bayan and Anjan Boruah Bayan are celibate monks from Majuli's Kamalabari sattra. Though performing with their sattra troupe is common, joining Sharodi's performances is rarer, though by no means shunned. Prahlad, who joined the monastery as a five-year-old, began performing 12 years ago, but since 2004 has appeared as a soloist too. It takes at least five years of daily training to reach a performing level. Anjan entered the sattra at eight. Both agree that performing for ritual purposes at the invitation of devotees is far removed from stage shows. "We can't expect the same treatment," smiles Prahlad. Even the monastery rules, such as cooking their own food, have to be bent.
"But then you do prayaschit," Devshankar reminds them, as they nod.
Though the music for Sattriya dance is different in approach from Hindustani music, there is no institutionalised training, and musicians tend to learn on the job. Vocalist Devshankar, flautist Bipul Deka and violinist Hitesh Sarma are all trained in the Hindustani genre. Devshankar trained from age six under his father Bhoirab Barman. "Then I went to Lucknow and completed my M.Mus. from Bhatkhande Vidyapeeth."
Violinist Hitesh, though not from a musical family, was sent by his parents to music college, a rare event in Assam. He also learnt folk music in college, and has no regrets about his chosen profession. Says Bipul, who began training at 10, "My father played the clarinet, but I always loved the flute."
So it seems it's all about merging the vocation and the profession. But that sounds like the story of Sattriya too!
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