প্রতিধ্বতি the Echo A journal of Humanities & Social Science Published by: Dept. of Bengali Karimganj College, Karimganj, Assam, India Website: www.thecho.in

Satra, Sanskritisation and Assamese Society: Understanding Social Assimilation Anupal Saikia Ph.D Scholar, Diphu Campus, Assam University, Silchar Abstract Assam vaishnavism has been constantly playing a significant role in the process of assimilating diverse elements-indigenous and non-indigenous into Assamese culture. Under the auspicious of Satra Institution, which is the greatest contribution of Neo-Vaishnavism of Assam the process of assimilating the non-Hindus to the Hindu fold started with new spirit. Satras plays a vital role in the life of Assamese society as well as in the formation of Assamese society. In this paper an attempt is made to understand the role of Satra in legitimizing and popularizing the process of Sanskritisation in Assam, which was started long years back in the Brahmaputra Valley. Key words- Vaishnavism, Sanskritisation, Assimilation

Introduction: Satra is a socio- Assam version of vaishnavism of religious and cultural organisation Sankardeva to differentiate this which developed in medieval phase of vaishnavism from its Assam. Neo-Vishnavism in early phase. Satra institution is Assam was propounded by the unique contribution of Neo- Srimanta Sankardeva, the great Vaishnavism to the people of social and religious reformer of Assam. The Satras of Assam are Assam, in the 15th and 16th the most distinguished and century. The term Neo– influential socio-cultural Vaishnavism applied to the institution of the state.

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Socially the Satras form a Kamaikhya and kechaikhati were popular institution and have popularly worshiped. For earned the status of being a example, the Sonowal Kacharis national institution of Assam. were the worshiper of Kechaikhati Satras are the places for religions Gossani before coming to the fold practices, cultivation of art and of vaishnavism. And it was the literature and craft and painting, Satra institution, under whose music and dance. However, mere influence a large section of tribal religious, socio- cultural or even populace like the Morans, the aspects of their art and literature Sonowal Kacharis, the Chutias, on their own, do not identify the the Deoris, the Thengal-Kacharis Satras. There are more than etc. as well as overwhelming thousand Satras in the whole the number of people belonging to the Brahmaputra Valley, the largest marginal and despised caste came and the most well-known, under its ambit. however, being located in the According to M. N. Srinivas, Majuli island. Sanskritisation is the process by Objective of the Study: The which a low born Hindu caste, or study has been conducted keeping tribal or other groups changes its in view of the following customs, rituals, ideology and way objectives- of life in the direction of a high 1) To describe the role and frequently, twice born caste. of satras in the process of Generally such changes are sanskritisation in Assam followed by a claim to a higher 2) To analyze the position in the caste hierarchy than nature of assimilation of that traditionally conceded to the indigenous non-Aryan tribes claimant caste by the local to the Aryan fold in Assam. community. Methodology: The study relies on The process of Sanskritisation, secondary data. The secondary which was started long years back data have been collected from in Ahom and the tribal society in research works on satras and from the Brahmaputra valley become other published books and articles. faster after the initiative taken by Findings and Discussion: Prior to the Satras. By giving ‘saran’ to the beginning of Neo- the tribal people positioned them Vaishnavism in Assam, Assam in the Hindu caste hierarchy. They was the land of various extra had given the opportunity to Aryan tribes. The tribal people or uphold their position in Hindu non-Hindu people of Assam caste hierarchy by adopting the followed primitive religious customs and manners of higher practices. In ancient Assam the caste. great Mother Goddess like

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The process of ‘Saran’ is thousands of Noctes. The important to the both Satra and Garamur Satra of North society. This is through this Lakhimpur took similar steps ceremony, ‘Saran’; one can come among the Abors. All of these to the fold of Satra or can become communities were from the hills, a disciple of Satra. Saran means which now come under present shelter. By taking sarana under a Arunachal Pradesh. guru through a very simple Division of Satras into Brahma procedure anyone could enter into Sanghati, Kala Sanghati, Purusha the fold of neo-vaishnavism. It Sanghatin and Nika Sanghati in thus facilitated the entry of a large the later part of the Vaishnava number of tribal people into the movement in accordance to the fold of Hinduism. The tribal personal interest remained as an neophytes were known as the obstruction in achieving its actual saranias and still are addressed as objectives. The expansion of such as a community who had Vaishnavism into the tribal over the years been assimilated territories and the villages of the into the Assamese society. so-called non-Hindu or semi- One notable contribution of Hindu population was historical Satra is its works towards the true during the earlier part of the upliftment and betterment of the Vaishnavite Movement; but when backward classes and bordering Satra institution factionalized into communities of Assam. different divisions, than old Sankardeva from the very Brahmanical conservatism with beginning of his missionary life the practice of casteism and led a crusade to restore the inter- untouchability sprang up and community balance and entered the satra fold. It was only understanding to its pristine glory. to a limited extent that the He strove for a complementary ideological stand of the saint still equality of all men across caste, held ground, make a man like character or status I the eyes of Mathuradas Burha Ata, a member God and exhibited deep sympathy of the depressed class was for the downtrodden class. allowed to head a satra. The When Arunachal was within tradition of sankritising the tribal the map of Assam, Shri Rmadev and other backward and non- Gossain, Satradhikar of Bareghar Hindu or semi-Hindu Satra, a dynamic personality, communities, however, continued initiated Lotha Khon Bao and in the kala sanhati branch, renamed him as Narotom. particularly in its Moamara or Therefore, the kings of Loptang Mayamara sect proponed by and Namchang were initiated to Anirudhadeva (1553-1626), who Vaishnava sect along with was the son of a bhuyan and a

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প্রতিধ্বতিthe Echo ISSN: 2278-5264 nephew of Sankardeva1. The has been the name of a Hindu sub- Morans are a plain tribe inhibiting caste in which are received the the eastern part of the Ahom converts to Hinduism from the Kingdom and they are the largest rank of Kacharis, Lalung, Mikir constituent of the Mayamora and other tribes. In former times satra. Before coming to the fold of the Koches and Meca (a branch of Mayamora satra, the Morans were the Kachari) freely intermarried, the follower of Saktism. After but the conversion of the former undergoing a process of to Hinduism has caused the Atomization and later on practice to be discontinued. The sanskritisation, they turned to wet- people of these tribes who took to rice cultivation uplift from Vaishnavism have gradually shifting cultivation and left the adopted Hindu conducts of life. customs and practices of Saktism. They have also given up many of Along with the traditional their unclean habits, discarded religious ceremonies it is found animism and become more and some of the Pati Bitalia and Totla more refined in their dealings. Rabhas have established the They have mostly discarded their ‘Namghar’ as social and own tongue in favour of Vaishnavite religious institution. Assamese. It should not, however, There they celebrate the Tithi of be supposed that the influence janmastami, Douljatra, Ambubasi, was a one sided one. Customs and Budha-Purnima, Akshay-Tritiya, beliefs of the tribes have the birth and death ceremony of influenced or at least colored Sankardeva, Madhavdeva, Vaishnavism of Assam to a Damodardeva, Harideva and so certain extent. That the on. Such ceremonies are Vaishnavism of Assam was performed by reciting verse from adopted to suit the different types the religious book of the of people and also received in its Bhagavata Gita, Namghosha etc. fold certain things from the tribes Along with them, Assamese Nam- can never be doubted. Kirtana (congregational singing Nature of Assimilation: The and reciting), is also performed. assimilation of indigenous The missionary work of elements or non-Aryan traditions bringing many backward tribes of to the Aryan fold can’t explain in Assam into the fold of simple narrative of assimilation. Vaishnavism was started by early In the process of upward mobility, reformers and their successors. most of the indigenous Ahom, Chutiya, Kochs, Miri, communities retained some of Kachari, and Naga-all these tribes their beliefs and practices and were brought into the fold of refused to fully conform to the Vaishnavism. In Eastern Assam it casteist codes and regulations on

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প্রতিধ্বতিthe Echo ISSN: 2278-5264 commensality. The Sonowal Vaishnavite movement and the Kacharies accepted dual religious Satra institution played the role of system. They are ‘Kirata dharma’ an agent in social change in and ‘New-vaishnavism’ or ‘Eaka Assam and the backward Saran Namdharma’. But there is communities of Assam got the vast difference between the opportunity to uplift themselves in systems of the two religions in the development process with the terms of beliefs and practices. influence of Neo- Vaishnavism. Though they have faith in Neo-Vaishnavism thus became a Namdharma, which is against the powerful catalyst, in the word of worship of any other god or B. K. Barua, ‘a cementing force’- goddess with or without sacrifice, in the process of acculturation of yet they can’t abolish their the different social groups. And traditional religious system. So Satra as the main institution of the they still continue to hold Neo- Vaishnavism took the sacrificial worship to their initiative of upliftment of various traditional deities. Ahoms, tribal and indigenous community Morans, Mataks, Chutias, etc. of Brahmaputra valley. But the came to fold of Hinduism, yet ideal with which Sankardeva and they retained some of their early reformers carried Neo- distinct identities and this helped Vaishnavism and created Satra in asserting in the modern period institution, soon lost its former as ethnic communities as against sprit allowing much conservative, caste identities. personal and caste elements to Conclusion: Neo-vaishnavism enter into the satra system. And brings socio-cultural changes with the advent of colonialism, among tribal and depressed castes the satras become more orthodox largely in accordance with the in its outlook. Except, some peace of their social development. Satradhikars like Pitambar Deva Neo- vaishnavism contributed Goswami of Garmur satra and immensely towards the formation Gahan Chandra Goswami of of a broader de-tribalised Nikamul satra who worked homogeneous society in the sincerely towards ameliorating the Brahmaputra valley. The Satra status of the tribal people, almost Institution, which is the greatest all other satras had some adverse contribution of neo-vaishnavism socio-economic impact on the to the people of Assam, plays a marginalized communities. vital role in this regard. The Neo-

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References: Barooah, B, 1998, The Sonowal Kacharis, Published by the Author, Doomdooma Gait, E. 1981, A History of Assam, Lawyers Book Stall, Guwahati Guha, A. 1993, Vaishnavbadarpara Mayamora Bridohaloi, Students Stores, Guwahati Guha, A. 1991, Medieval and Early Colonial Assam: Society, Polity, Economy, Centre for Studies in Social Science, Calcutta Nath, D. 2012, Satra Society and Culture-Pitambardeva Goswami and History of Garamur Satra, DVS Publishers, Guwahati Neog, M. 1965, Sankardeva and His Times: Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Assam, Department of Publication, Gauhati University Sarma, C. K. 2011, Religion and Social Change-Neo-Vaishnavism vis-à-vis the Tribal Group in Assam valley, D. Nath (ed.) Religion and society in North east India, DVS Publishers, Guwahati Sharma, S.N. 1996, The Neo-Vaishnavite Movement and the Satra Institution of Assam, Gauhati University, Department of Publication, Gauhati University Srinivas, M. N. 2008, Social Change in Modern India, Orient Longman, New Delhi Delhi

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