Srimanta Sankardeva
|
|
Mohapurusa Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449-1569) is a colossal figure in the cultural and religious history of Assam, a state in India. He initiated the bhakti movement in that region and named it ek sarana naam dharma. He used the form of Krishna to talk about only God, who can be worshipped solely by uttering his name. In contrast to other bhakti movement forms, his religion follows the dasa attitude (a slave to God). Radha is not worshipped along with Krishna. After his death, his movement fractured. Some of the fractions worship the idol of Krishna, while others do not worship any idols.
It is not his religious teachings alone that make him a colossus, but his oeuvre in literature and the performing arts. He was the fountainhead of the Ankiya naat, a form of drama; Bargeets a form of devotional songs that he composed and set to music; Sattriya dance, that Sankaradeva initiated and which was later developed by monastries. These cultural traditions form a rich heritage of the Assamese people.