Guwahati, Sept 22: The 578th Abirbhav Mahotsav of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva was observed across Assam with deep religious fervour on Monday and continued into Tuesday, as thousands of devotees, bhakats and Vaishnavs gathered at satras and naamghars to pay homage to the 15th-16th century saint, social reformer and cultural icon.
From early morning, naam-prasanga, kirtan and the rhythmic beats of khol and taal filled the air at religious centres statewide. Bhagabat processions, led by gayan-bayans and accompanied by the chanting of Naam Prasanga, wound through towns and villages, drawing large crowds. The celebrations underscored Sankardeva’s enduring influence on Assamese spiritual life, literature, music, drama and the neo-Vaishnavite Ekasarana Dharma he founded.
At the historic Barpeta Satra, established by Sankardeva’s disciple Madhavdeva, a grand Bhagabat Xobhajatra traversed the streets of the town where the two saints once lived and worked. Thousands of devotees participated in the procession. Burha Satriya Dr Babul Chandra Das said the Abirbhav Tithi has been observed with great devotion since ancient times. “Naam Prasanga was recited early in the morning, and a day-long programme was held. A religious discourse on the Mahapurush was also organised. Programmes are scheduled for tomorrow also,” he told the media.
At Batadrava Than in Nagaon district, Sankardeva’s birthplace, a multi-day celebration featured religious rituals, cultural programmes and community participation. Similar observances took place at Dhekiakhowa Bornamghar, where naam-prasanga, borgeet performances and a Bhagavat procession attracted devotees from across the region. In Dhubri’s historic Ramraikuti Satra near the India-Bangladesh border, pilgrims joined a naam procession through nearby villages and visited a centuries-old Ou tree traditionally linked to Sankardeva’s travels.
In several places, 578 earthen lamps were lit to mark the anniversary, and traditional bhaona performances were staged in the evening. Local programmes also included competitions in borgeet, ghosha and Sattriya dance, along with religious discourses highlighting the saint’s teachings of devotion, equality and social harmony.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma paid his respects on the occasion, describing Sankardeva as the “guiding light of Assamese society.” In a social media post, he said the saint’s teachings of knowledge, devotion and compassion continue to show the path towards building a vibrant Assam and Viksit Bharat.
Born in 1449 at Bordowa (Batadrava) in present-day Nagaon district, Srimanta Sankardeva transformed Assamese society through his spiritual movement, literary works, Ankiya Naat (one-act plays), and the establishment of naamghars and satras that remain central to Assamese cultural identity.
The statewide observances reflected both continuity of tradition and the living relevance of Sankardeva’s ideals in contemporary Assam.