Dancers perform during the festival at Rabindra Bhawan. A Telegraph picture

Sanchari Foundation, Guwahati, conferred the Sanchari Award, 2009 on eminent Sattriya exponent Bhabananda Barbayan of Uttar Kamalabari satra in Majuli.

To mark the occasion, eight established classical dancers of Assam enchanted the audience with a brilliant performance.

The recitals comprised three styles of Indian classical dance: Sattriya, Kathak and Odissi. Of these, there were five Sattriya items.

Talented Naren Barua began with a Sattriya Namanjali comprising Krishnabandana and Nadubhangi.

It was followed by Seujpriya Borthakur’s nrityabhinay based on Mahapurush Madhavdeva’s Borgeet Shyama Chanda Mukha....

The next Sattriya item, another nrityabhinay, was presented by Mallika Kandali. The piece was based on Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev’s Borgeet Ki kohobo uddhava, ki kohobo prana..., with the artiste depicting the mental state of a birahotkanthita nayika.

Ramkrishna Talukdar’s Sattriya recital was based on a totaya, Madhu danaba darana deva barang. This nrityabhinay piece earned applause from the audience.

Anita Sarma’s performance was based on the Grah Gajendra episode of kirtana. She presented the Gajendra Moksha item. The last Sattriya item was presented by guru Bhabananda Barbayan himself. His recital, titled Nrisingha leela, enchanted the audience.

The Odissi chapter was performed by Anjanamoyee Saikia. Designed by Guru Gandgadhar Pradhan, the item was a pure dance piece, Pallavi, based on raga Rageshree.

Ruparani Das Bora’s kathak recital was based on Mallika Kandali’s recitation of eminent poet Hem Barua’s immortal poem Mamatar Chithi.

The evening concluded with Shanti, a unique composition of Sattriya, Kathak and Odissi dance forms.

Chandan Sarmah