Bhaona: Play and Religiosity in Assam

Bhaona is a performative art that emerged and spread under Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhavdeva. By enacting mythologies like Ramayana and Mahabharata, the actors play a crucial role in introducing the messages of the religious leaders to the masses.

Actors of Bhaona, source: The Hills Times

Bhaona is a dramatic portrayal of the plays composed by Vaishnava Saint Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva. The two influential saints form a crucial part of the region’s history, they were the part of Bhakti movement of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Preaching that one can connect with God directly, reducing the role of the priests/Brahmins, and strengthening the devotee’s belief in Vishnu they amassed a great following.

The Bhakti saint Srimanta Sankaradeva was a religious leader, whose interest in music, theatre, and dance had led him to the creation of new forms of music such as borgeet, theatrical performance or bhaona and ankia naat, and dance or sattriya. He laid the foundation of Eksarana Dharma, the followers of the religious movement gathered in Sattras or monasteries.

“Such plays are usually performed on auspicious occasions in the village prayer hall (namghar), an institution created by Sankaradeva"

Bhaona is performed at Sattra (monastery) and Namghar (Hall) for the public. The musical instruments used for the performance are Khol and Taal. They are based on the Ankiya Nat or the Onkiya Naat, the ‘one-act plays’. These plays form part of the cultural heritage of Assam, a total of six were written by Srimanta Sankaradeva Patni Prasada, Keli-Gopal, Rukmini Harana, Ram Bijoy and Parijat Harana. The compositions by Madhavdeva are known as Jhumuras However, there are other bhaonas performed in Assam which are written by other monastic heads apart from Ankiya Nat.

“Traditionally, an Ankiya Naat or Bhaona would be staged at the naam-ghar or at times under a robha (temporary shed). During Madhabdev’s era, at the revered Barpeta monastery, he had also built a separate house, bor-ghar, to stage his plays Bhojana-Vyavahara and Dadhi-Mathana.”

The stage for the performance of the Bhaona is constructed in the shape of a blooming lotus, a characteristic feature of the Majuli Bhaona. The island of Majuli is known for hosting great Bhaona stages. It is the largest river island in Assam, it hosts tourists and villagers who come to witness the special Bhaona which takes place on the island. It is also known as the hub of the Vaishnava monasteries. This island in the Brahmaputra valley houses multiple Sattras, thereby cultivating the art form for centuries as the Majuli inhabitants are raised in the religious environment, naturally the performance of Bhaona there acquires deep socio-religious meanings.

Sutradhar along with Gayan Bayan, source: mapacademy

Gaayan (the singers) and Baayan (the musicians) form an essential part of Bhaona. They wear special attire for the performance. The Gayan Bora is the head of the musicians, who leads the musicians throughout the play. The musicians don white clothes and can be easily discerned from other characters taking part in the play. They enter the arena through the archway made by nine torches which is called the Agnigarh and then they take rounds of the golden throne or the Simhasana of the Namghar which is placed at the center.

The Sutradhar is the one who is responsible for the narration. He wears a turban, performs a brief dance, and leads the audience throughout the play along with Sangi or the lead singer. The actors of the play speak their dialogues in Brajawali or Assamese. The enactors of the play perform the roles of the characters from mythologies like Ramayana and Mahabharata (with Vaishnav elements). Since the plays were written in the vernacular they made the mythologies accessible to the masses. The role of Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva, therefore, requires acknowledgement of the spread of art, reforms, and contributions to the spread of Assamese culture.