GUWAHATI, INDIA, April 1, 2002: Mixing religion with an initiative to revive dying art forms is what temple authorities at the Dol Gobindo mandir near here did on Saturday on the occasion of Holi. The five-day-long Dol Utsav here — thronged by thousands, apart from local villagers — is not just a celebration of religion or the festival of colors, it also showcases of traditional arts fast declining in the state. “It’s a kind of mission for us. On the evenings of the Dol Jatra festival, we showcase our traditional art forms together with devotional songs and bhajans,” Monindra Prasad Baruah, head of the 23-member temple committee, pointed out. Naturally enough, nagranaam and chaitali naam — holy chantings that are unique only to this central Assam district of Kamrup, are a must here. Paresh Barua, working president of the committee, said: “These naams have been a part of our tradition since 1835, when the temple was first established.” These apart, ojapali — a “dance and song performance in praise of Lord Krishna and Lord Bishnu” — is also a regular feature of the cultural evenings here, together with the famous bhaona nritya, a kind of dance drama, along with plays on local and traditional themes. The devotees — even the younger generation — have responded very positively to the cultural initiative. Encouraged, the temple committee is planning to set up a cultural complex within the temple premises.
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