A study on Satra tradition of Assam

Abstract

‘Satras’ are the important historic sites of social and cultural revolution of Assam. ‘Satras’ are an integral part of religious life of a large section of people in Assam, the north-eastern state of India. These places of worship are associated with the origin and development of the Vaishnavite culture. Sankardev, Madhabdev and their contemporaries established the satras to promote and preserve the ideals of the Vaishnavism. Sankardeva set up the Than or Satra at Bordowa with an onus on the idea of equality. With the same idea, many more satras came up in other parts of Assam. The Satras got prominence from the times of Madhabdev and Damodardev. The objective of the Satras is to promote religious and spiritual ideas. The Satras since their inception have been providing spiritual and moral lessons to the society. Shravan (Hearing), Kirtan (Singing religious hymns) and other religious activities take place at the Satras which increase the inclination towards god and guide them to fulfil their duties. The Satras also give importance to songs, dances, drama and other cultural activities. The various festivals of Satras also help in strengthening the unity among various groups of the society. Therefore, the Satras do not only have religious significance, but they contribute towards culture and literature. In this proposed research paper tries to analyses the Satra tradition of Assam