Lord Krishna is supposed to have played with his consorts here. Though
thousands of miles distant from Vrindavan, one only has to visit Majuli during the
Ras-purnima in the month of Kartik to experience this. Virtually every single person on
the island is involved in the three-day long ras festival, depicting the life of Krishna.
Every village hosts its own, and people who have left Majuli return to take part in the
song, dance, theatre and merriment. And the language that is used is Brajavali, the tongue
of Mathura. In this modern electronic age, the notion of entertainment on essentially
religious-spiritual form seems strange, and antiquated. Perhaps such performances might
attract a curious few in other places, but in Majuli, the days of bhawna and ras are
special, with thousands touring out all over the island to watch and experience. Even when
the ras is not there, one can look out at the green expanses, and the cattle grazing,
listen to the song of the birds and the flute of the shepherd, and for a moment get
carried back in time.
Although the origins of Majuli may be uncertain, it is known for a fact that the social reformer Sankardeva visited the island in the early sixteenth century. Sankardeva propagated a form of Vaishnavism that was simpler and more accessible than the ritualistic Hinduism of the time. His approach was rooted in faith and prayer, and stressed on the cultural aspects of life and living. There was no idol worship or sacrifices - instead, he developed the dance-drama forms of the bhawna and ankiya-nat, theatrical depictions of the triumph of good over evil, using as material, the Bhagawat, which he himself had written. Sankardeva had spent ten years as a mendicant itinerant traveller, visiting all the great pilgrimage sites in the country, to learn from them. Perhaps it is because of this that people from all over are able to relate to it.
Sankardeva established satras or monasteries on Majuli, to nurture and propagate his philosophy and practice of life. In its heyday, there were sixty-five satras, each with lakhs of bhakats or disciples and several thousand followers all over the state. Even today some retain this position. The Satra at Auniati, for instance, has even today a hundred and twenty five disciples, and over seven hundred thousand followers. The satras take in young boys and groom them. The daily routine includes working in the fields, tending cattle, prayer, discussion and study. The satras have also nurtured certain art and craft traditions, which can now be found only here. In Natun Samuguri satra for instance, one can still find the craft of mask making; Kamalabari satra still makes the finest boats.
This cultural ambience is not confined to the satras alone. Every village on the island, whether tribal or non-tribal, has assimilated these traditions in daily life. The central point of all villages is the namghar; where periodically people gather to sing and pray. It is more than a temple - it is a sacrosanct meeting place as well. Usually after the sessions of reading and discussion, the members will get together to decide on matters concerning the village - how much to auction the fishing rights for, what to do with the money that is raised, and many other issues of importance to the community.
In this day of individualism, Majuli still preserves the notion of the community. Among the majority Mishing community, who migrated from the Arunachal hills many generations ago, traditions of ali-ay-ligang (the harvest festival) are still preserved, and different ethnicity have been living together peacefully for generations.
Pottery in Majuli is probably the single most important heritage of all. The potter’s wheel has not found its way till date. Pots are made with hand from beaten clay and burnt in driftwood fired kilns. Only the womenfolk in the village labour to shape the pots with hand. Finished pots are ferried up and down stream on country boats for barter trade. Archeologists opine this to be a missing link between Mohenjodaro & Harappan civilization. Elsewhere in the world potter’s wheel reigns supreme; but Majuli still retains its link with the long dead past. Thus Majuli is a living archeological museum in its own right.
