Ban Theatre- Assam
Ban Theater is the first modern Assamese theatre hall. The Ban Theatre was established in the year 1906. Many of the great modern Assamese dramas were first staged here. Assamese cultural icons Rupkonowar Jyoti Prasad Agarwal, Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, Nata Surya Phani Sharma performed dramas through Ban Theater. There have been many a live performances at the Ban Theatre in Tezpur, whcih is famously connected to Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Bishnu Rabha ,Phani Sarma. The tradition of performing modern theatre continues till today.
Contributed by: CEE North East
Sattriya Music, Dance and Theatre
Vaishnava saint and reformer of Assam, Shrimanta Shankaradeva (1449-1568 ) created Sattriya Nritya as a powerful medium for propagation of the Vaishnava faith. Sattriya Nritya represents an integration of art and devotion. In the second half of the 19th century, Sattriya Nritya emerged from the sanctum of Assam's sattras (monasteries) which had maintained certain rigid disciplines within its walls, and where this dance style was performed in a highly ritualistic manner by male dancers alone. On 15 November 2000, the Sangeet Natak Akademi (link) finally gave Sattriya Nritya its due recognition as one of the classical dance forms of India, alongside the other seven forms. Sattriya Nritya is accompanied by musical compositions called borgeets which are based on classical ragas.
Source IGNCA Inventory of ICH, Janapada Sampada Division, IGNCA
Contributed by Prarthana Borah, CEE Ahmedabad