Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh in New Delhi

Sangeet Natak Akademi organised the 8th Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh in New Delhi from 21 to 24 March, 2016. It was held in the Rabindra Bhavan, Copernicus Road, New Delhi. The four day event was attended by many scholars from both within and outside the country. Four Bhaona of Srimanta Sankaradeva;s Ankiya plays were performed by different groups from Assam.

Seminars also were held every day during the Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh. I presented a paper titled 'Aharya of Ankiya Bhaona' on March 24. I dealt with all the seven components of Aharya as well as their origin in my paper.
Read my paper here
I showed powerpoint slides of Aharya items and also a video of ornament making, which had been recorded in our workshop on Aharya last year.

I met many scholars in the Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh. In this picture below I am sen with musician Paolo Pacclolla and dance therapist Liza from Italy, K. K. Gopalkrishnan, Director of Kutiyattam Kendra, Kerala and dance expert Dr Arshiya Shethi.

A photo exhibition also took place, where the performances as well as lectures in previous Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh were shown. Here I am beside my own picture, taken in an earlier presentation.

The photo exhibition covered the fine performances of all past Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh.

The picturesque temporary structure where the Bhaona were performed was designed by Nuruddin Ahmed.