Majuli heritage to go global

KAMALABARI, January 18: The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Bhopal, has already made documentation of the cultural heritage of the world's largest fresh water island Majuli's people and these documents will reach the other parts of the world through the internet network, said IGRMS director Sujit Som while conducting a workshop on satra material culture at the Garamur Bangshigopal Natya Mandir this evening. While emphasising that the IGRMS has a special approach towards the heritage of NE people, he said that many human being with his or her sense of possession, has been making himself or herself a museum - a living museum. Hence the heritage of the people should not be confined to the four walls of any museum, rather, these should be preserved in their environment as living ever. In the workshop, craftsmen of the Natun Chamaguri Satra demonstrated their mask-making skills under the guidance of Hem Chandra Goswami, a renowned craftsman of mask. Karuna Borah, an exponent of Satriya dance of the Uttar Kamalabari Satra, also read out a paper on satriya dance with the exponential demonstrations made by a host of artistes. Presiding over the function, State's Commissioner for Culture Himangshu Shekhar Das laid stress on preserving skills and century-old experiences of the satras in matters of developing and conserving their art heritage. Earlier in the day, Das inaugurated an exhibition of artifacts belonging to the material culture of the Majuli people. The dignitaries taking part in the convention were also taken to the Barpamuwa Gaon in Jengraimukh area today to make them familiar with the way of life of the Mising people there.