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Dr K.D.Goswami,on musical aspect of Sattriya Dance.
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Music in a dance can enhance the quality of a performance. Any dance has to follow some rhythm of beats provided by some musical instruments. The vocal music might not be there in the pure dance; but for the interpretative dance or expressive dance, that is always required. The dancer can go on elaborating the Geya-pada (sung line which repeats). In Sattriya there are ample scope for such elaboration. These elements are there in the body of the Ankiya drama.

The Sattriyā dance follows some traditional principles supported by written texts of Indian classical dance. These, besides others contain the grammar of the performance pattern with mathematical precision in terms of melodic and rhythmic structure. A distinct system of melody and rhythm has given this tradition a separate entity. Sattriyā dance is embellished within a unique Raga and Tala pattern set to a large corpus of composition of Srimanta Sankaradeva and Madhavadeva, but the traditional inheritors paid little heed to its artistic and aesthetic aspects inherent in the art form. It was pursued and practiced as means of cultivation of Bhakti only. The dance has now came out of the four walls of Sattra taking a new dimension of a distinct performing art form of secular, aesthetic, and academic interest. But the basic principle of Bhakti must not be ignored. That is why all sentiments expressed in course of depicting different themes tend to merge ultimately in the sentiment of Bhakti. It has now become necessary to revive and re-establish music- both vocal and instrumental along with the dance for overall development, however, without departing from the tradition that contains enormous possibility to provide aesthetic delight to all. That is why, the neglected aspects of the dance i.e., in vocal and instrumental spheres has to given serious thought. Some has made endeavor in this respects but much has to be done for improvement with proper regards for the tradition and having a clear perception.

Contributed by Mr.Pulak J. Borthakur and Mrs. Devika Pulak Borthakur. [www.sattriya.co.in Music and Sattriya dance]