Largest River Island in the World, Majuli, Assam: A Case of Auniati Satra and ‘Udakhin Vaishnav’

By: Shankar Chatterjee

Majuli is a lush, green, environment-friendly, and pollution-free freshwater island in the Brahmaputra, Assam, which is around 15 kilometers from Jorhat city and 390 kilometers from Guwahati city. Majuli had an area of 1250 square kilometers initially. Due to erosion, the area has declined to about 880 square kilometers (majuli.assam.gov.in/about-district/district-glance)
It is the world’s largest river island and largest river island district. It attracts tourists from all over the world. Majuli is also a strong contender for a place in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. The main festival is ‘Raas,’ a religious festival associated with Sri Krishna Bhagwan. Also, the island is famous for Satras (holy place), the most significant part of Neo-Vaishnavism culture. Each Satra consists of a large prayer hall facing a shrine, surrounded by dormitories. Many Assamese people are followers of Neo-Vaishnavism. It is pertinent to mention that Saint Srimanta Sankardev, a divine personality whose contributions and works are still shining in Assam, established 64 Satras on Majuli island. Due to erosion, only 31 Satras exist presently. Each Satra has its own cultural significance and tries to preserve unique artistic attributes in music, literature, dance, drama, etc.
In this article, a case of one Satra, viz., Auniati Satra, which is located in Majuli and established in 1653, is presented. It is believed that Ahom King Jayadhwaj Singha established this Satra. The deity of this Satra is Bhagawan Govinda Mahaprabhu. In this Satra, there are a few rooms viz., Namghar (for chanting Bhagawan’s name), the residence of Satradhikari (Head of the Satra known as Gurugriha), and rooms for other disciples. One beautiful museum is located on the premises of Satra. By visiting this, many things can be learned.
The author visited this Satra on December 12, 2023, and interacted with the devotees (Bhakats and Pujaris). While discussing with Jayanta Madhav Saikia, the author learned that the Satra was spread over an area of 184 acres. Around 300 devotees known as ‘Udakhin Vaishnav’ stay in different rooms on campus. They all are bachelors, do not marry, and are purely vegetarian. They themselves cook, or a person cooks for others. No woman can be ‘Udakhin Vaishnav’. About the age of ‘Udakhin Vaishnav,’ in the Satra, I was told that a kid of four years was the youngest, and the maximum was 90 years old. Across Assam, around 10 lakh disciples are members under the banner of this Satra. Also, there are 14 branches of this Satra. Further, the Satradhikari (head of the Monastery) established Namghar, i.e., Prayer Halls in Dubai and the USA. It is pertinent to mention that Namghar is literally a simple structure where the devotees recite the name of God ( mainly Sri Krishna’s name). Namghars were introduced in Assam by Srimanta Saint Sankardev (1449-1568). The author also interacted with the Pujari (priest) Bolin Sarma, who, at the age of five years, joined the Satra and is now 50 years of age and still associated with the Satra. At that time, he was performing Puja, so-called Pujari. He also informed that man Pujari (head priest) was 71 years old and joined at the age of 10 years in the Satra. Lastly, I wish to mention that the Head of the Satra, known as Satradhikari Dr. Pitambar Deva Goswami, although he was not available later on over cell phone, informed me that he completed his Ph.D. on ‘Satria festival’ and at the age of 10 years, he joined in the Satra. For the last 55 years, i.e., now 65 years, he has been in the Satra.
I was very excited to visit such a holy place and fascinated to know about ‘Udakhin Vaishnav,’ who, for the welfare of society, fully sacrificed their lives. They are purely vegetarian, in the true sense of bachelor, and eat self-cook food or cooked by their fellows.
Prof Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

References

Barua, U., Hore, D. K., & Sarma, R. (2007). Wild edible plants of Majuli island and Darrang districts of Assam.

Roy, N., Pandey, B. W., & Rani, U. (2020). Protecting the vanishing geo-cultural heritage of India: Case study of Majuli Island in Assam. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, 8(1), 18-30.

Sarma, J. N., & Phukan, M. K. (2004). Origin and some geomorphological changes of Majuli Island of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. Geomorphology, 60(1-2), 1-19.

Sarma, A. (2014). Landscape degradation of river island Majuli, Assam (India) due to flood and erosion by river Brahmaputra and its restoration. J Med Bioeng, 3(4).