Srimanta Sankaradeva
Sankaradeva was born in the year 1449 A.D. at Bardowa in Nagaon district of Assam, India. His father was Kusumbara Bhuyan and his mother was Satyasandhya. Sankaradeva lost his parents in his early childhood. Grandmother Khersuti brought him up and the age of 12, he was admitted to the Mahendra Kandali’s Tol (School). While starting to learn the alphabets (Assamese Language) , Sankaradeva said to have composed his first poem(Karatala Kamala Kamala Dala Nayana...) without applying any vowel signs.
After finishing his education, he married Suryavati Aai. She gave birth to a female child, Manu and passed away. After the death of his wife, Sankaradeva lost his interest in household life. Sankaradeva married his daughter to Hari and then decided to go for a long pilgrimage which covered long twelve years. He visited the holy centres of India and started his Bhakti movement ( Ekasarana Nama-Dharma). Along with it, he staged the ‘Chinha Yatra’, the first dramatic show in Assam. There was quarrels between the Bhuyans and the Kacharis. Therefore, Sankaradeva, with his kith and kin disciples, left Bardowa to Rauta and then to Gangmau. Again, he marched eastward to Dhuwahat-Belaguri. There, he met Madhavadeva. In Dhuwahat, the Ahom King Chuhungmung ordered them to trap wild elephants; but they failed, for which they took away Hari (son- in-law of Sankaradeva) and Madhavadeva. The King ordered that Hari Jowai sould be given capital punishment. Accordingly, he was beheaded. This tragic incident made him to move west. They took shelter at Patbausi and stayed there for about 20 years. He went for second pilgrimage, and on return, he had to face the curse of Kosh King Naranarayana at the instance of a hostile group who viley reported the King against him. Sankaradeva could easily win the heart of the King by dint of his scholarly and unerring arguments. Naranarayana wanted to get initiated into the faith of the Guru Sankaradeva. But, Sankaradeva did not agree to give initiation to the King and 1586 A.D., in the month of Bhadra (Assamese Calendar), the saint closed his is eventful mortal life. Contribution of Sankaradeva to literature and cultural life of Assam is innumerable. His greatest contribution to Assamese literature is the ‘Kirtan-Ghosa’. Through the field of religion, literature, music, drama, Sankaradeva is alive in the hearts of the people of Assam.
Madhavadeva:
In 1489 A.D. at Narayanpur of Lakhimpur district of Assam, India, Madhavadeva was born. His father was Govindagiri and Monorama was his mother. He spent his early childhood with much difficulty staying at different places. While wandering through many places, he met Sankaradeva at Dhuwahat. Originally, he was a Sakta. But, after coming to the contract of Sankaradeva, Madhavadeva was convinced about the faith of Guru and received religious initiation from Sankaradeva. This union of Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva is known as ‘Manikanchan-Sanyog’ Madhavadeva propagated the Vaisavite faith of Sankaradeva throughout the nook and corner of lower part of Assam. The Guru Sankaradeva used to call him ‘Barar-Pu’. In the second pilgrimage of Sankaradeva, he was main established by Madhavadeva. In 1596 A.D., in the month of Bhadra (Assamese Calendar), at the age of 107 years, Madhavadeva ended his life.
Contribution of Madhavadeva to literature and cultural life of Assam is innumerable. His greatest contribution to Assamese literature is the ‘Nam-Ghosa’. Contribution to Sattriya Nritya by Madhavadeva are also innumerable. He introduced Chali Nach, Behar Nach and other Gitar Nach are also his notable creations. Excepting the present form of ‘Rajaghariya’ parth of Chali Nach, the eight units of other Chali Nach were created by Madhavadeva which has been continuously practising and performing in the group of Kamalabari Sattras. After Sankaradeva, Madhavadeva kept the Assamese people united through his religions, cultural and social activities.
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