About the Mission
The Society continues to implement the special project ‘Assam Ethnic Cultural Harmony & Exchange Mission’ to bridge social and cultural distances between Assam’s communities and revive their traditions at risk of disappearing. Launched in 2021 following extensive research and field studies, the project is an important step towards promoting awareness of one community’s arts, culture and customs among other communities and encouraging cultural exchange. By bringing this rich diversity together, it seeks to advance the vision of ‘Gurujoanas’ of ‘Bar Asam’. Through this project, the Society has worked continuously to plant the seeds of ‘Satriyya’ culture in the artistic consciousness of trainees from different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, giving practical expression to Srimanta Sankaradeva’s great ideal of ‘a united Assam’.
Residential Workshops (2021–2025)
Between November 2021 and August 2025, the project organised a series of residential workshops where participants exchanged ideas about their communities’ diversity, arts, culture and customs with fellow participants from other communities. They also had opportunities to interact and build relationships with distinguished artists, intellectuals and eminent personalities. To familiarise participants with the ‘Neo-vaishnava’ tradition initiated in the fifteenth century by Srimanta Sankaradeva and Sri Sri Madhavadeva, training in ‘Satriyya’ dance, ‘Bhortal’ and ‘Bargeet’ was provided as part of their learning about performing arts and history. Daily sessions of ‘Mati Aakhora’ and yoga were also conducted to encourage an interest in good health.
Progress So Far
Eight residential training workshops have so far brought together 1,152 young men and women from 33 communities in remote parts of Assam. These workshops have enabled participants to exchange their artistic and cultural traditions and receive comprehensive training in ‘Satriyya’ arts and performing traditions. The trained artists have participated in ‘Ankia Bhaona’ and performed ‘Satriyya’ dance, ‘Bargeet’, ‘Bhortal’ and ‘Mati Aakhora’ on stage. A new series of training workshops will be organised in the coming days, involving artists from additional communities.
Moments from the mission.
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19 photographs
