a traditional art practice in the satriya culture of...

Copyright © Universal Multidisciplinary Research Institute Pvt Ltd

108 South -Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (SAJMS) ISSN:2349-7858:SJIF:2.246:Volume 4 Issue 5

A TRADITIONAL ART PRACTICE IN THE SATRIYA CULTURE OF

ASSAM: A SPECIAL REFERENCE OF THE PAINTINGS OF

BHAGAVATA-PURANA, X (ADI-DASAMA)

Sri Bikramit Sarkar1

Dr. Rajesh Bhowmik2

1. Sri Bikramjit Sarkar, Research scholar, Department of Fine Arts, Tripura University,

Suryamaninagar, 799022, Tripura, India. Email Id: [email protected]

2. Dr. Rajesh Bhowmik, Associate Professor, Department of fine arts, Tripura University,

Suryamaninagar, 799022, Tripura, India.

mailto:[email protected]



Abstract

The Manuscript painting of Assam is the evidence of the history, religion, art and culture.

The tradition mostly developed during the medieval periods in Assam. Its position was as a

vehicle to spread Neo-Vaishnavism of Srimanta Sankardeva in the Assamese society. The

establishment of Vaisnavite institutions in different corner of Assam was a most recognized

work of the vaishnava movement or bhakti movement. These religious institutions were called

Satras in Assam. Among the different art forms, the art of manuscript painting was also

practiced and maintained traditionally in the Satras. The skill and quality of artists and their

aesthetic sense of vision were executed through this medium visual art. The paintings were

made following a traditional technical process of preparation using natural ingredients and

colours. The manuscripts were three to four hundred years old but still looking fresh and

glazing which is also a significant characteristic of Satriya paintings. The paintings of

Bhagavata-Purana, X, is the best example of the satriya style of traditional painting. The

precursor of Neo-Visnavism, Srimanta Sankardeva was responsible for the development of

painting tradition in the medieval history of Assam. The art of manuscript paintings in Assam

may contribute a new foundation towards the art history of Traditional Indian Painting. The

number of paintings found in the manuscript of Bhagavata-Purana is the source of influence

for a development of a painting tradition which followed for many centuries in the North-

Eastern part of Assam. Being a part of medieval cultural practices it is important to study

and document the paintings in today’s context of preservation for future generation.

Key word: Assam, Bhgavata-Puran X, Manuscript Paintings, Satriya Culture, Vaisnavism,

Tradition.



1. INTRODUCTION

The art of manuscript painting is an old and indigenous tradition which has a significant role

in maintaining the socio- cultural and religious value in the land of Assam. “Tradition has it

that Chitralekha, Friend of Usha, Daughter of king Bana of Sonitpur (now Tezpur) could

draw the pictures of the gods and goddesses. She drew the picture of Aniruddha, grandson of

Shri Krishna for her friend Usha who loved him. From the Bana‟s account of Harsacharita we

find a list of presents sent by Kamrupa king Bhaskar varmana sent to Shri Harsha, emperor of

North India, through his trusted envoy Hanshavega. The presents included, interalia, some

paintings, Harsacharita mentions “volume of fine writings with leaves made from Bark.”1

Author D. Nath mentioned that “the Harshacharita of Bannabhatta, a court scholar of king

Harshavardana (606-647 A.D.), for example, refers to writing manuscripts in Assam where it

is mentioned that king Bhaskarvarmana (595-650 A.D.) of Kamrupa, presented to

Harshavardana “volume of fine writing with leaves made from aloe bark ( agaru-valkala) and

of the hue of the ripe pink cucumber.”2. From the above mentions, it is quite clear to say that

there is an existence of practicing art of writing, painting and use of bark as a surface in

ancient Assam and functioning as a medium of communication. But it is very uncertain to

make any specific assumption of the visual characteristic of those presentations whether it is

in the form of script and painting together as manuscript painting in one surface or they are

individually practiced. It is said that “Manuscript painting was practiced in ancient India as

we learn from the Harshacharita of Bana.”3 But in connection to the ancient manuscript

paintings tradition of Assam there was no certain information or any documents except

Harshacharita to disclose that there was an existence of developed and regular culture of art

of manuscript paintings in Assam before medieval period.

However, the alive or existing proofs of art of practicing manuscript painting in Assam was

date back to the time of Bhakti- movement headed by Vaishnava saint Srimanta Sankardeva

(1449-1569 ) and his direct disciple Madhavdeva. It was the reigning time of Ahom king

Suhungmung or Dihingia Raja (1497- 1539). The other kings like Jayadhvaj Sing (1649 –

1663), Ratnadhvaj Singh (1679-1681) showed some admiration and curtsey towards the

vaishnavites resulting to a patronization with grants and donation for the establishment and

maintenance of vaishnava monasteries or Satras in different corner Assam. Sir Gait has

mentioned that “Vaishnavism received official recognition when Jayadhvaj Singh enrolled

himself as the disciple of Niranjan Bapu, whom he established as the first Gosain of the great

Auniati satra.”4The Auniati Satra was setup in the land of Majuli during 1653 A.D. That

means the Satra institution got a standing position under the Ahom kingdom almost after 85

years of death of Sankardeva. But his initiation of Satra establishment as one of the most

important elements of propagating Bhakti movement or Neo-Vaishnavism was success fully

developed by his followers. Though, there is contradiction regarding the establishment of

Satras and Namghar. It is said that Sankardeva himself setup the first Satra in the land of

river island Majuli by planting a tree (Bilva tree) and named the place as Belguri also known

as Dhuwahat which is no longer available due to effect of natural disasters. On the account of

origin of the Satra it is also argued that “Sankardeva is said to have established his first Satra

at Bardowa in his birth place, and then at different centers during the course of his long and

extensive travels across the length and breadth of Assam.”5 According to the definition of

Satra it is “where the single minded Vaisnavas resides, where they offer Sarana (shelter) to

the souls, that (place) is called a Satra.”6

In the same way Bardowa was also called than,

that is “the holy places where some saints passed came to be called than. Sometimes a prayer

hall is erected at such a place and this is called Tha-ghar (sthana –grha). E.g. Bardwa „than’,

Belguri than, Barpeta than etc.”7 It is very much contradictory to distinguish the Satra and



„Than’ but in Assam both the name is connected to the Vaishnava religion of Sankardeva and

used as a synonymous terms to indicate the unique Vaisnavite monastery or institution called

Satra in Assam.

2.1. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The establishment of Satra is functional to the development of different educational and

cultural practices which unite different class the time of Vaisnava reformer Sankardeva and

under the Satriya culture of Neo-Vaishnavism, the art of manscript painting reach to its

highest position of development in Assam. It is also believed that of people of the Assamese

society. The Satra institutions are the foundation of cultural history of Assam, through which

learning different visual art and craft forms, literature and fine arts had been practices

traditionally for the propagation of vaisnavism in land of Assam. It is universal to understand

that visual medium is more effective in communication than any other medium of expression.

So that the idea of producing illustrated manuscript paintings was practiced in the Satriya

culture of Neo-Vaisnavism. “Sankardeva was also a master painter possessing extensive

knowledge about the nuances and aesthetic of the art of book illustration and painting.”8

“Sankardeva was the first to use hengul and haital which he did in a miniature painting of an

elephant painted on tulapat as a cover of a tiny manuscript, namely, the Gunamala.”9

that is

the manuscript which he made for the king of Koch Behar Naranarayana during 1558 A.D. “

that the cover painting of Gunamala and the mural painting of Sankardeva, which had been

painted as a background sceneries on tula-pat for a Drama called “Cihnayatra played at

Bardowa in Nagaon district in about 1458A.D.”10

this was the time when Sankardeva played

this drama after return from his first pilgrimage from north India. Simultaneously, this art of

painting introduced by Sankardeva developed as one of the important visual medium among

the various cultural activities of the Sattriya tradition like the practice of Song, dance and

drama. Scholar Abhijit Bhuyan said that “a new school of painting was developed by

Srimanta Sankardeva, just like his dance and music. It is known as the Sankari School of

painting. He initiated this new form of painting with his epoch-making drama Cihnayatra,

which was enacted in 1468 AD at Tembuwani (Bordowa) in Assam.”11

The painting of

Cihnayatra and Gumamala is not visually available in recent time. Regarding the Cihnayatra,

author Sanjib Kumar Barkakoti Said that Sankardeva “ …himself initiated a new form of

painting with his epoch-making drama-festival Cihna-Yatra held in 1468 A.D, where he

depicted imaginary pictures of Vaikuntha or the celestial abode of God on scrolls made of

pressed cotton, to be used as backdrops.”12

Hence the mural painting and Gunamala

miniature painting of Sankardeva may be the source of influence for farther development and

practices of art of painting traditionally in the Sattriya culture of Assam. Further it can be

assume that the Sankardeva as a Guru practiced this art of painting to give a visual expression

of a particular subject of Cihnayatra or seven Vaikuntha to the audience and to his followers.

Like the other visual art forms introduced by Sankardeva, the art of painting was also take a

significant role among in the Vaishnavite cultural activities and came to be recognized as the

Vaishnavite school of Painting. The tradition was flourished in the Satras in the form of

painted manuscripts following an indigenous style. For the sake of this Neo-Vaishnavism, this

practice had been continued among the Satra’s for many centuries and got popularity as a

Satriya style of painting. Through the passing of time, the Vaishnavism spread over the

whole Assam with their Philosophy, culture, belief and propagating elements like practicing

art of painting. Gradually with the succession of Vaishnavism in the Assamese society the art

of painting was also got a recognition and popularity as a traditional Assamese painting in

Satriya style. In the development of this painting culture the traditional medium like surface,

ink and the use of natural colour is most significant. Locally hand pressed cotton paper and

the bark of aloe tree or Aquiralia Agallocha or agar tree or Sanchi tree has been used as



surface of the painting. The surface made from the bark of Sanchi tree called as Sanchi-pat

and handmade cotton paper is called as Tula-pat in Assam. Preparation of the Sanchipat

followed a lengthy and laborious process of curing, seasoning and polishing of the cut out

piece of aloe bark. The preparation of the bark for the manuscript itself a craft of traditional

art practice till from the selection of the bark to the application of colour. There was an

existence of two variety of Tula-pat in Assam. Among the two variety of Tula-pat, one is

prepared by beating and splitting barks of different trees and another is by ginning, felting

and pressing cotton so called Tula-pat in Assamese which is especially found to be used as a

surface manuscript painting in the Satriya culture of Assam.

2.2. SUBJECT OF THE MANUSCRIPT PAINTINGS:

The paintings illustrated numerous stories taken from the great Hindu epics Ramayana,

Mahabharata and above all subject from the Bhagvata- Purana which is considered as a

greatest of all great eighteen Puranas of Hinduism and the source of Neo-vaishnavism in

Assam. Some of the remarkable volume of manuscripts contains paintings such as

Bhagavata–X or Chitra-Bhagavata or Bhagavata Adi- Dasama, Gita-govinda, Ananda-

lahari, Bargeet, Kirtan, Udyog-parva of Mahabharata, Adhyatma-Ramayana, Parijata-

Harana, Anadi-patana, Bhakti-Ratnavali, Syamanta-harana, Ramayana-sundarkanda and

many series of Kirtana and Bhagavata paintings. The paintings of this Bhagavata-purana, X,

mainly concentrate to depict different stories and events related to the supreme God Lord

Krishna such as the Krishna killing demons, roaming with domestic animals and friends,

Stealing milk and curd, scolding from his mother etc.

2.3. BHAGAVATA-PURANA, X (ADI- DASAMA):

The painted volume of Bhagavata-Purana –X manuscript is popularly recognized by the name

Chitra Bhagavata in Assam. The manuscript is under consideration as the earliest specimen of

painted manuscripts of Assam. The year of its execution is claiming to be in the Saka year

1461 which is written in the folio number 156. Though there is a controversy regarding the

year of its execution. Author R.D. Gupta noted on the account of Satriya School of painting

that “The earliest extant example of an illustrated manuscript of this school is the Bhagavata

Book X, dated A.D.1539, from the Bali Satra in Nowgong District. The style initiated in the

early 16th

century has marked similarity with the various North Indian schools of

miniatures.”13

Historian Edward Gait already mentioned that “Among the early specimen of

illuminated manuscripts Bhagavata puran, X, occupies the foremost place. The work exhibits

Rajput-Mughal influences both in technique as well as in finish.”14

The surface of the

manuscript paintings is Tula-pat (local handmade paper). The size of the manuscripts is 48

cm X 20 cm. This volume of Bhagavata-purana, X, contains 156 number of folios and 322

numbers of paintings. Some time the artist has composed two paintings in a single surface

maintaining the horizontal arrangement of the paintings along with the scripts. It has been

observed that the paintings depicted different stories and occurrences from the childhood of

Lord Krishna. The paintings have been done in a rectangular shape of space except a small

painting in square shape in the first folio. The objects and subject of the paintings are

arranged vertically keeping horizontality in overall compositions. The paintings were

depicted in realistic approach. The background colour of the composition is depicted in red

flat colour which is a most common stylistic feature of the Satriya manuscript paintings.

Beside the use of red colour, the application of green, black, blue, white and yellow is

common in the paintings. In the application of colours some variations has been noticed such

as the dark green, light green, dark blue, light blue, Bluish- green, brown, white and

yellowish-white etc. Depiction of various animals with divine figures has been portrayed



such as the image of cow, horse, elephant, deer etc. Artist has incorporated some visual and

physical movements on the depiction of every subject and objects especially in the depiction

of the different body parts of human and animal figures. Different architectural drawings

have been incorporated in the paintings. The costumes of the human figures depicted in the

paintings are much similar to the Satriya traditional costumes of Assam. Such as, the dhoti as

lower garments of male figure and uttario, dupatta or chador as upper garments.

Dramatically representation of the objects and subject is noticeable in the paintings. Khol like

traditional musical instrument of Assam as well as one of the traditional instruments of

Satriya culture also depicted in the paintings of Bhagavata-purana, X or Adi-dasama. Similar

stylistic features in the arrangement of composition have been observed in the other volume

of manuscripts produced and copied during the later period in Assam. Author Naren Kalita

opined that “It is a fact that the painting of the Chitra Bhagavata represents an advance stage

of development at the Satriya painting style encountered in the Bhagavata-Purana, Book VI

of Puran Burka Satra. The Style was contemporary with the Kirtana paintings of Na-Burka

and Kath Bapu Satra.” R.D. Choudhury and C. Nandagupal have mentioned that

“Sankardeva who was a versatile genius, poet, dramatist, composer, singer and painter,

launched the Bhakti movement in the Assamese society.”15

It has been noted in the “Srimanta

Sankardeva Jeewanamrit” that “Within a year, he finished reading the two epics, the four

Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Arthava) the fourteen Shastras, the eighteen Puranas, the

eighteen Bharat, eighteen Samhitas, Fourteen books of grammar, eighteen books of poems

and eighteen encyclopedias.”16

It is quite possible to make an assumption that being a man

with versatile knowledge in every field of literal, visual & performing art and being the

author of the Bhagavata-Purana X, (Adi-dasama) and as a master painter he might have done

the paintings or it may be done under his supervision. The paintings bear some stylistic

features of Rajput, Mughal, and other North-Indian school of miniature paintings. If the

execution date 1539 A.D. is correct as mentioned in the last folio of the Chitra Bhagavata the

manuscript have been executed during the survival life of Sankardeva between 1449-1568

A.D. and another thing is that, it has been discovered from a Satra which is under Bardowa or

Batadrawa group that is the home land of Sankardeva. From the account of “Srimanta

Sankardev Jeewanamrit” “Batadrawa, It was here that Sankardeva translated the Bhagawat in

to Assamese.”17

It is known that the Sankardeva get Sanskrit Bhagavat from scholar Jagadish

Mishara who came to Borduwa to meet with Sankardeva. Point to the above this Chitra

Bhagavata proposed its execution during the life time of Sankardeva. Connecting to the style

of painting, it can be assumed that, being a creative person Sankardeva get influenced from

the other Indian school of miniature painting and artists during his pilgrimage to different

parts of India. Being an artistic mind Sankardeva might get absorb some stylistic features of

the other school of paintings and later on some of the element were automatically appears in

work of Chitra Bhagavata in Assam. According to R.D.Gupta “the Sattriya school prevailed

from Koch Bihar in the west to the extreme east of Assam, an area that came under the

cultural influence of the medieval Pala tradition „as is indicated anew by the recently

published series of miniature to an Assam manuscript of the Bhagavata Purana dated A.D.

1539. They clearly look back to the Buddhist manuscripts of Pala period, which are organized

in the same way with figures in architectural niches.”18

The Prajnaparamita ( a Buddhist

manuscript) of the 14th

century A.D. Pala paintings is the best example of stylistic influences

which appears on the Assam school of paintings as followed in Chitra Bhagavata. It is

universal to say that the quality of aesthetic sense of composing a painting or any kind of art

works or creation is varied from artist to artist and man to man. The skill of drawing and

painting way of presentation, perfection and satisfaction in a work of art is also depending on

the intellectuality, knowledge, feelings and observation of the artist which are different in

individual artists. Therefore, the quality and stylization of the paintings is depending on the



artist so that the paintings of Bhagavata-Purana-X representing an advance stage of

development of the Satriya style of paintings. The paintings of other Bhagavata-Purana series

that is from Bhagavata- Purana-VI of Puran Burka Satra dated 1678 A.D., Bhagavata-Purana-

XI, found from Dakshinpat Satra dated 1697 A.D., Bhakti Ratnavali from Kamalabari Satra,

dated 1683 A.D. Kirtana series of work found from Na Burka satra & Kath Bapu Satra have

been done in a similar stylistic approach but the perfection and ornamentation finishing of the

individual works are different. That means the painting skill of the individual artist are

different but they tried to follow the path of their Satriya style which had been introduced by

their guru or leader so that the disciple artists followed and copied the style of early works.

The richer quality of the paintings of Bhagavata-Purana, Adi Dasama in all aspects of

stylization and representation might influence the other artists and as a result the later dated

Satriya paintings are very closed to the works of Bhagavata-purana, X.

2.4.BHAGAVATA- PURANA, VI (AJAMILA-UPAKHYAN):

The Author of the volume is Sankardeva which have been executed in the year saka 1600

(1678) A.D. that means this painted volume Bhagavata-purana, VI has been executed after

139 year of the date of Chitra Bhagavata. Sankardaeva died in 1568 A.D. which mean that

the manuscripts Bhagavata-purana,VI is the copy work of Sankardevas rendering of

Bhagavata-Purana,VI in the later period by other scriber and painter. The style and

arrangement of the paintings is quite similar to the work of earliest Bhagavat-Purana, X of

1558 A.D.

3. CONCLUSION

Through the study it has been assumed that the manuscript paintings of Assam have great

socio-cultural and religious values beside the aesthetic value of the paintings. The paintings

represent different stylistic features of the medieval painting tradition of India. These

manuscript paintings also worked as a vehicle to communicate different mythological stories

or events in a visual form in this modern society as an example the paintings of this

Bhagavata-Purana depict different Puranic stories in simple visual form after thousands of

years of its occurrence. Similarly these antique Bhagavata-paintings connect a bridge

between Puranic, ancient, medieval and modern periods. The Sankardevas initiation of this

art of manuscript painting was remain a most significant visual learning system in medieval

Assam. The work of this art is also represents the patience and intellectuality of the unknown

master artist of the medieval traditional school of paintings. The paintings also generate the

knowledge traditional science & craftsmanship which depends on natural ingredients of

making surface for painting like Tulapat & Sanchipat with simplification in representation of

a subject in visual form rather than any kind of confusing representation. This art of

manuscript painting continued in the land of Assam from mid 16th

century to 19th

century

maintaining the religious, cultural and all traditional aspects of propagating the Neo-

Vaisnavism of Guru Sankardeva. There is a huge number of paintings till exist in different

manuscripts which are not came in to limelight of any artistic documentation. There are yet to

be more aesthetic to discover from the paintings which are still in a conservative mode under

different custodian. It is very significant in all aspects that the paintings were still exist after

many centuries which means the process and indigenous knowledge the artists have applied

to make the manuscript paintings is strictly a long lasting process. Today‟s generation and

artists can acquire knowledge of technical, artistic and cultural from these hidden treasures of

Satriya manuscript painting tradition of Assam.



4. SOME VISUAL REFERENCES OF THE PAINTINGS FROM THE ORIGINAL

BHAGAVATA-PURANA, X (ADI-DASAMA) FOUND FROM THE BALI-SATRA OF

NAGAON DISTRICT IN ASSAM:

Figure 1 Title: Bhagavata-Purana,X (Adi-Dasama), medium: Tulapat ( Handmade

paper), Size of the Manuscript: 48X 21 Cm. Size of the Painting : 13X9 Cm.

Source: Norwa Bali-Satra ( Vaisnava Monasteries) of Nagaon district in Assam,

India, Photography by: Bikramjit Sarkar (Author), 2016, Courtesy : Pramatesh

Bordoli ( Authority of the Bali-Satra).


paper), Size of the Manuscript: 48X 21 Cm. Size of the Painting : 45X8.2Cm.

Source: Bali-Satra ( Vaisnava Monasteries) of Nagaon district in Assam, India,

Photography by: Bikramjit Sarkar (Author), 2016, Courtesy : Pramatesh Bordoli (

Authority of the Bali-Satra).



Figure 3 Title: Bhagavata-Purana,X (Adi-Dasama), Medium: Tulapat ( Handmade

paper), Size of the Manuscript: 48X 21 Cm. Size of the Painting : 48X8 cm.

Source: Norwa Bali-Satra ( Vaisnava Monasteries) of Nagaon district in Assam,

India, Photography by: Bikramjit Sarkar (Author), 2016, Courtesy : Pramatesh

Bordoli ( Authority of the Bali-Satra).


paper), Size of the Manuscript: 48X 21 cm. Size of the Paintings : 28X7 cm. & 46.5

X 6 cm. Source: Norwa Bali-Satra ( Vaisnava Monasteries) of Nagaon district in

Assam, India, Photography by: Sri Bikramjit Sarkar (Author), 2016, Courtesy :

Pramatesh Bordoli ( Authority of the Bali-Satra).



5. REFERENCE:

1. Chaudhury, P.D. & Das, M.C., “Ancient treasures of Assam, Through Assam state

museum Guwahati”, Assam: Directorate of Museum, 1984, p. 39.

2. Nath, D., “Religious tradition and Social practices in Assam”, Guwahati: DVS

Publishers, 2016, p.208.

3. Das Gupta,R., “Eastern Indian Manuscript Painting”, Bombay: D.B. taraporevala

Sons & Co. Pvt. Ltd., 1972, p.1.

4. Gait, E., “A history of Assam” Guwahati: Utpal Hazarika, Banimandir, 2010, p.357.

5. http://www.atributetosankardeva.org/satra.htm, 04/05/2017.

6. Ibid.04/05/2017.

7. Ibid. 04/05/2017.

8. http://www.atributetosankardeva. Org/painting_cover.htm. 05/07/2017)

9. Nath, D., “Religious tradition and Social practices in Assam”, Guwahati: DVS

Publishers, 2016, p. 252.

10. Ibid. p. 252.

11. Bhuyan, A. “socio-cultural and political role of the namghar in assam” Maulana

Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, 2007, p. 22

12. Society for Srimanta sankardeva, “Evolution of Sankari Art form”,

www.sankardeva.com/blogs/61.

13. Das Gupta, R., “Eastern Indian Manuscript Painting”, Bombay: D.B. Taraporevala

sons & Co. Pvt. Ltd., 1972, P. 57.

14. Gait, E., “A history of Assam” Guwahati: Utpal Hazarika, Banimandir, 2010, P.365.

15. Choudhury, R.D. & Nandagopal, C., “Manuscript Paintings of Assam State

Museum”, Directorate of Museum, Assam, 1998, p. 9.

16. Dutta, P. O., “Srimanta Sankardev Jeewanamrit”, Guwahati : Dutta, N., Mukund

Madhab Dutta Prakashan, Nov.2014, p.29.

17. . Dutta, P. O., “Srimanta Sankardev Jeewanamrit”, Guwahati : Dutta, N., Mukund

Madhab Dutta Prakashan, Nov.2014, p.42

18. Das Gupta, R., “Eastern Indian Manuscript Painting”, Bombay: D.B. taraporevala

Sons & Co. Pvt. Ltd., 1972, p.57.

http://www.atributetosankardeva.org/satra.htm

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