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Ghanakanta Bora | |
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| Born | 1950 (age 74–75) |
| Known for | Sattriya dance |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2013),Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2001) |
Bayanacharya Ghanakanta Bora Muktiyar is achoreographer andguru (Mentor) ofSattriya dance, a majorclassical dance tradition ofAssam, India.[1][2] He is also a renowned instrumentalist and author. He won the prestigiousSangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2001.[3]
Shri Bora was born in 1950 inMajuli. At the age of four, Shri Bora was brought to the KamalabariSattra inMajuli as asattra inmate. At the age of six, the child Ghanakanta started receiving training inSattriya dance and music from the great exponent of the Vaishnavite tradition, Late Maniram Dutta Muktiyar Barbayan. Another renowned exponent of the tradition, Shri Raseswar Saikia Barbayan, taught himNatya (art of dancing), Bayan (art of playing Khul/Mridanga) andOjapali (dance style). Shri Ghanakanta completed his training with distinction at an early age and was elevated as Barbayan (one of the principal artists in the sattra) at a young age.[4]
His career began at theSattra itself when he was selected as an "Adhyapak" (Guru) to coach and train the young pupils in the sattra. When the Kamalabari Sattra was being shifted due to frequent flooding of theBrahmaputra River, Shri Raseswar Saikia Barbayan brought him along toGuwahati to showcase his emerging talent.
In 1971 he was appointed as the teacher ofSattriya dance at the Bishnupur Kala Kendra inShillong. In 1974 he was appointed as a teacher of Sattriya Dance and Bhaona in Sanakardeva Cultural Institute inNew Delhi which was established with the efforts of LatePresidentFakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Late Jogendra Nath Saikia, thenMember of Parliament. He returned toGuwahati in 1975 and joined as a teacher of Sattriya dance when the Sangeet Sattra was established inGuwahati.
In 1980 Shri Bora joined the State Music College,Assam as a teacher of Sattriya Dance and currently is settled inGuwahati. In 1987, he started his own institute called Sattriya Kala Kendra to impart training on Sattriya. The school has produced a group of young and talented performing artists from all over the world.[2] Shri Bora has also established over 25 schools for training on Sattriya all over Assam.
Shri Bora has also performed extensively on various musical platforms, and festivals throughout the country.[5] Shri Bora recently performed Sattriya Dance and played the Khol in 'Bharat Mahatsova' held inSouth East Asia, includingMalaysia,Indonesia andAustralia. He has collaborated with theSpic Macay for the past 6–7 years. Shri Ghanakanta Bora has also authored two books on Sattriya Dance: (i) Mati Akhora and (ii) Khol Sikhsa.[2]
He is currently the Head of the Department ofSattriya Music and Dance of theGovernment State College of Music,Assam. Apart from his associations with variouscultural institutions, he is associated with the Project of Support to Sattriya Dance, and Dance Music,Sangeet Natak Akademi,New Delhi as "Guru" providing advanced training inSattriya Dance and Khol. Shri Bora is also associated with a national levelSangeet Natak Akademi project called "Onkia Bhaauna – RaamBijoy Naat" inBrajavali dialect.
He has been awarded thePadma Shri in 2013 by theGovernment of India in recognition of his distinguished contribution toSattriya Dance.[6] In 2001, he was awarded the prestigiousSangeet Natak Akademi Award for his seminal contribution toSattriya Dance.[3] He is also the Honorary Director of Maniram Dutta Muktiyar Sattriya Kala Kendra,Guwahati. Shri Bora is also a trustee of Srimanta Foundation for Culture and Society,Guwahati.
At the age of 15, he attained the title of 'Barbayan' atMajuliSattra (The title of 'Barbayan' given by the Sattras is equivalent to the contemporary degree of Masters of Arts). In 2008, he was honored with the title of "Bayanacharya" which is the highest honor given by aSattra. Till date only two Sattriya Gurus have been honored with the title of Bayanacharya – Late Maniram Dutta Muktiyar Barbayan and Shri Ghanakanta Bora.
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