Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva

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Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva is a research-based biography of the great polymath from medieval India, Srimanta Sankaradeva (1419-1568 AD). The saint littérateur founded a new Vaishnavite order named Eka Sarana Nama Dharma. This order preached devotion to a single God, Lord Krishna. But at the same time, the saint made massive contribution to literature and culture too. He was the first playwright in all modern Indian languages. He was the creator of Sattriya dance, Bargeet and Ankiya plays. He reformed the then society and redeemed the people from numerous regressive practices like sacrifice of living beings before deity. He gave up his royal status and came down to the level of common people. Consequently, he and his followers had to undergo many hardships in life. Srimanta Sankaradeva created a social institution named Than (later known as Sattra), which was built around the worshipping place called Kirtanghar, having unique architectural features. It became a social enterprise, which integrated the heterogenous ethnic groups of Brahmaputra valley. That is why the saint is called father of Assamese people. He was a pioneer of adult education too, his Than (Sattra) being centres of learning. In the present book, Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti has presented a lucid narrative of the eventful life of the poly-math. The author has derived the exact time of different events in the saint's life.

A keen researcher of medieval hagiographies, Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti has authored biography of Srimanta Sankaradeva in both English and Assamese. He has translated lyrics of Bargeet and Gunamälä authored by Srimanta Sankaradeva and Namghosha authored by Madhavadeva to English. He has written an English novel named The Redeemer based on the life of Srimanta Sankaradeva. He has authored about sixty books on education, culture, development issues, literary criticism, philosophy etc. He has analysed Srimanta Sankaradeva's philosophy too.

Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Chicago, California, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Boston, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Emory, North Carolina, Texas, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Washington, Illinois, Yale, Michigan, Toronto, Heidelberg etc have preserved Dr Borkakoti's books in their libraries. He has also delivered lecture in different universities. He was conferred Sankari Sahitya Sanskriti Award by Jorhat Sahitya Sabha.

Dr Borkakoti has used online platforms widely for wide discussion of Srimanta Sankaradeva's contributions. He is founder President, Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, an organization engaged in promotion of Srimanta Sankaradeva's legacy. He is an DR SANJIB KUMAR BORKAKOTI has authored biography of Srimanta Sankaradeva in both English and Assamese. He has translated lyrics of Bargeet and Gunamälä authored by Srimanta Sankaradeva and Namghosha authored by Madhavadeva to English. He has written an English novel named The Redeemer based on the life of Srimanta Sankaradeva. He has authored more than sixty books on education, culture, development issues, literary criticism, philosophy etc. He has analysed Srimanta Sankaradeva's philosophy too. Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Chicago, California, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Boston, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Emory, North Carolina, Texas, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Washington, Illinois, Yale, Michigan, Toronto, Heidelberg etc have preserved Dr Borkakoti's books in their libraries. He has also delivered lectures in different universities. Dr Borkakoti has used online platforms widely for discussions of Srimanta Sankaradeva's contributions. He is President of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, an organization engaged in promotion of Srimanta Sankaradeva's legacy. He is an expert member of International Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage. He has been conferred Sankari Sahitya Sanskriti Award by Jorhat Sahitya Sabha for his works on literature and culture.

Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva is unanimously accepted as the father of the Assamese people. It was he who gave the Assamese people a common language and culture, in addition to a predominant bond of religious belief. The great mass of literary works left by him has become the bedrock of the Assamese literature. He founded the Sankari culture, comprising of dance, music and Ankiya plays, which went on to become the mainstream Assamese culture. It is another matter that his creations are now called by a certain section as Sattriya culture after the Sattra institution. But the fact is that the Sattra nomenclature of the Sankari institution Than was a later day development. The Than had been created by the saint, though he had not given any name to it. This has given scope to many controversies. However the majority of the Sattras abide by the tenets laid down by the saint. Anyway, the fact remains that Srimanta Sankaradeva, who was a pioneer in many fields, founded his own schools of classical dance and music. He was the first playwright in modern Indian languages. He was the first play director in the entire world to use drop-scene and also to use the play as a proselytising medium. Unfortunately very little is known about Srimanta Sankaradeva outside the Brahmaputra valley.

**Contents and Sample Pages**