Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), attended the second biennial full-fledged state convention of the “Mridangiya Gayan-Bayan Sanstha, Assam,” which was held in Rajgarh, Dibrugarh, along with a ceremonial program of Auniati Satra and a daylong Akhanda Bhagavat Path. Speaking to the crowd, Sarbananda Sonowal praised the organization’s ongoing support of the mridangiya gayan-bayan tradition’s practice, maintenance, and spread, characterizing it as an integral aspect of Assamese culture.
A vital component of Assamese culture is the Mridangiya Gayan-Bayan tradition. It has enhanced our cultural environment and encouraged younger generations to stay anchored in our classical and folk traditions via consistent practice and dedication, according to Sarbananda Sonowal. According to the Union Minister, groups like the Mrdangiya Gayan-Bayan Sanstha, which connect tradition with the new generation via training, performance, and rigorous practice, were essential in ensuring that Assam’s rich cultural history continued to flourish.
“Seeing this vast cultural canvas today with my own eyes, I am truly overwhelmed,” Sarbananda Sonowal continued. “The gayan-bayan custom has been followed in all of our villages since ancient times. I am a village son, too. I have seen and heard our Namghars reverberate with the music of the khol and mridanga since I was a young child. One of the main auspicious tools used in ancient India was the Mridanga. It has been referred to as a “divine instrument” in mythological stories. It has developed and persisted over centuries through a unique tradition and style rather than having a written script or textual instruction. It is a source of immense pleasure and joy to bring the gayan-bayan customs dispersed throughout Assam’s villages together on one platform.”
Sonowal also honored Banshi Bakliyal, a renowned bayan artist from Kamarchuk hamlet in the Dibrugarh region, at the ceremony for his decades-long commitment to mridangiya gayan-bayan practice, training, and performance. Sonowal wished the organizers ongoing success in conserving and advancing Assamese traditional arts. Auniati Satra Satradhikar Pitambar Dev Goswami, Rajya Sabha MP Rameswar Teli, Assam Petrochemicals Ltd Chairman Bikul Deka, and other dignitaries, cultural practitioners, and members of the public attended the event, which featured lively cultural performances.