Barpeta Satra celebrates ‘Doul Mahotsav’ on Holi in Assam

Barpeta: An important seat of Vaishnavite culture in Assam, Barpeta Satra is abuzz with festivities as people throng here in large numbers during the four-day celebration of “Doul Mahotsav”.
More than one lakh people, including women who are otherwise barred from entering the Satra (monastery) in Barpeta, a town in Lower Assam, throng the monastery during the rest of the year, which is decorated with colours, Holi. Lives with songs and chants. ‘ (Theatre) during the “Doul Mahotsav”.
Barpita Satra, 95 km from Guwahati, was founded by Madhav Deva, a disciple of the Vishnu saint Sankardeva.

“The Doul Mahotsav celebrated at this Satra is unique to the region and is based on the legend of Lord Krishna’s visit to his wife Ghanusa, who had offended his wife,” said Prabhat Das, secretary of the Satra.
He said the first day of the festival, called ‘Gondh’, begins with a bonfire of reeds lit by the ‘bhaktas’ (disciples) of the monastery in front of the main ‘Kirtanghar’ (main prayer hall).
Kirtanghar is an architectural marvel, reflecting the simple yet distinctive features of the ‘namghar’ (prayer hall) envisioned by Sankardeva. Gautam Pathak said that the monastery’s major religious activities are held there, with monks in charge of the sutra.
The image of Krishna, also called ‘Kaliya Gosain’ (Dark Lord) by the locals, is carried in procession accompanied by devotees playing cymbals and drums.
The image is then placed near the fire before being taken back to the shrine.

The grand culmination on Thursday, the fourth day of the festival, is called ‘Seuri’ where the image of Krishna is placed in a palanquin and taken out in a grand procession around the city, apparently to Ghanusa’s house. It is scented by devotees. ‘Fakua’ or colored powder.
After the procession, the devotees bring Lord Krishna back to the sutra where he is barred from entering the house.
An angry wife.

The devotees divide themselves into two groups – one supporting Krishna and the other his wife – and engage in a heated debate, eventually breaking the bamboo barriers.
“People from Barpeta, who are settled in any part of the state or the country, try to come to the city during Doul Utsav as it is associated with our heritage and culture,” said Dhrubajyoti Mishra, a 32-year-old Mumbai-based bank official who has come home on his annual leave to celebrate the festival, told PTI.
Rekha Sarma, a 40-year-old housewife, said, “We don’t usually go to the sutra but during the annual festival of colours, we finish our housework early and reach the monastery to get a better vantage point from which to watch the proceedings. can see .
Renowned photographer Ratnajit Choudhary said that the fair could be a flagship event in Barpeta and “we are trying to highlight its uniqueness by organizing photography events so that photographers can get up-to-date on their social media handles.” Uploaded images can attract tourists”.
Officials said that the district administration makes elaborate arrangements to ensure the peaceful conduct of the fair.