Play: Ram Vijay
Playwright: Srimanta Sankardev
Director: Hiro Prasad Mahanta
Group: Sattriya Sanskritik Gosthi, Kaliabor
Form: Ankia Naat, Assam
Duration: 2hr
The Form
Ankia Naat/Bhaona is a traditional form of entertainment prevalent is Assam. It was created by Srimanta
Sankardeva in the early sixteenth century. He created the form to convey religious messages to villagers
through entertainment. Later he wrote some plays popularly known as Ankia Nats and their staging is
known as Bhaona. They are generally staged at satras and namghars in Assam. The dialogues, costumes,
ornaments, entry and foot-steps of the characters are unique in their form. These characteristics make
Bhaona different from other plays. Ankia Naats are written in Assamese and Brajavali.
The Play
Ram Vijay is an Ankia Bhaona written by Sri Sankardev. The plot of the drama is mainly based on the
Baal-kand of Ramayana, chapters 16-72. The story has been abridged and some chapters of the original
Sanskrit work scarcely touched. Considerable variations have been introduced. The Sanskrit drama, the
Mahanataka, also seems to have influenced this play at some point. What is remarkable is, that the pace
of time, days and nights, are scarcely mentioned, or taken into consideration, and the action is pushed
forward with unbroken continuity.
The Director
Hiro Prasad Mahanta was born in Kaliabor. From his child hood he had started cultivating the Sattriya
Culture by performing Krishna Dance & Sutradhari Dance and participating in Ankia Bhaona. He acted
in Assamese plays Sakunir Pratisudh and Kalicharan, directed by Dulal Roy, in the Assamese serials of
Guwahati Doordarshan, and in a tele film by Padmashree Surjya Hazarika. He has directed the dancedrama and songs in the film Srimanta Sankardeva by Padamshree Surjya Hazarika. He plays an
important role in teaching and spreading the Ankia Bhaona and Satriya Dance form, all over India.
Playwright
Srimanta Sankardev was a 15th–16th century Assamese polymath. He was a saint-scholar, poet,
playwright, socio-religious reformer and a figure of importance in the cultural and religious history of
Assam. He is widely credited with building on past cultural relics and devising new forms of music
(Borgeet), theatrical performance (Ankia Naat, Bhaona), dance (Sattriya), literary language (Brajavali).
Besides, he has left an extensive literary oeuvre of trans-created scriptures (Bhagavat of Sankardev),
poetry and theological works written in Sanskrit, Assamese and Brajavali. His literary and artistic
contributions are living traditions in Assam today. The religion he preached is practiced by a large
population, and Sattras (monasteries), that he and his followers established, continue to flourish and
sustain his legacy.
The Group
Sattriya Sanskritik Gosthi, Kaliabor, established in 1985, is a leading cultural institution of the Nagaon
district in the state of Assam. The group aims to propagate the folk arts amongst different communities of
the region. The youth has taken up schemes for the publicity of arts like the Ankia Bhaona form, Bihu,
Sattriya Dance etc. both within and outside the state.
The artists of the Sattriya Sanskritik Gosthi have performed Ankia Bhaona and Satriya Dance at the
International Trade Fair and Ramayan Mela, New Delhi, Mahabharat Utsav, Kurukshetra (Haryana),
Multilingual Drama, Kolkata, Kalidas Samaroh, Ujjain (M.P.), Indira Gandhi Manab Sangralay, Bhopal,
SARC festival, Bangalore (Karnataka), Opna Utsav, Mumbai, Mask performance, Indira Gandhi National
Cultural for Art, New Delhi, Ankia Nat performed at Kuttiattam, Kulashekhera, Kerala, Sangeet Natak
Academy, New Delhi in 1990, Republic day parade at New Delhi in 1992.
Cast & Credits
Sutra
Ram
Lakhman
Dasarath
Janak
Biswamitra
Galab
Parasuman
Marish
Subahu
Taraka
King
Kingill
Sita
Kanakawati
Madona Manthora
Khol
Khol
Khol
Khol
Gayan
Costume & Makeup
Gayan
Playwright
Director
Dibya Goswami
Gautam Phukan
Birinchi Mahanta
Charu Saikia
Apurba Bhuyan
Pallab Bhuyan
Parasmoni Bhuyan
Samir Bhuyan
Pranjit Borah
Monuranjan Mahanta
Tarun Mandal
Gopal Goswami
Gaurav Phukan
Bhayashree Baruah
Susmita Saikia
Banashree Saikia
Achinta Mahanta
Syamal Goswami
Jytotishman Mahanta
Jhuna Kangkan Bhuyan
Dipankar Baruah
Bhiaty Bhuyan
Dr. Jayanta Gogoi
Srimanta Sankardev
Hiro Prasad Mahanta
Contact:
Vill: Sarubhagia
P.O. Jakhalabandha
Distt : Nagaon, Assam – 782136
Mobile: 0941306993, 08724876556
Email: birinchi123@yahoo.com, birinchi123@gmail.com