50-660: The Moamoria (also Matak ) were the adherents of the egalitarian, proselytizing Mayamara Satra of 18th-century Assam , who initiated the Moamoria rebellion against the Ahom kingdom in the 18th century. The rebellion weakened the Ahom kingdom to such an extent that the kingdom became vulnerable to repeated Burmese invasions of Assam and the subsequent colonization by the British . The Moamorias were also called Mataks . Over time,
100-414: A disciple of Sankardev was from the weaver community ( Tanti ) similarly Sesa, Katani, Budhbari, Chahila satras were held by Kaibartas although they claim to be of Kayastha origin. The satras are not merely religious institutions but play cultural and historical roles in society. A dance form that was initiated by Srimanta Sankardeva and later developed within the sattras, and thus called Sattriya ,
150-453: A four-sided enclosed area with four gateways ( karapat ). Centrally placed in this enclosure is a rectangular prayer-hall ( Namghar or kirtanghar ) at the aligned in the east–west direction. On its eastern side there is an additional independent structure called the Manikut (jewel-house), the sanctum santorum , in which the asana (a wooden tetradehral structure with four carved lions)
200-567: A part of the wider, pan-Indian Bhakti movement, it does not worship Radha with Krishna, which is common in many other Vaishnava schools. It is characterised by the dasya form of worship. Historically, it has been against caste system, and especially against animal sacrifices common in other sects of Hinduism, especially Shaktism . Noted for its egalitarianism , it posed a serious challenge to Brahminical Hinduism, and converted into its fold people of all castes, ethnicity and religion (including Islam ). The preceptors as well as later leaders of
250-453: A special place in this religion: Kirtan Ghoxa , composed by Sankardev; and Naam Ghoxa and Ratnavali , composed by Madhavdev. The religion fissured into four sanghati ( samhatis or sub-sects) soon after the death of Srimanta Sankardeva. Sankardev handed down the leadership to Madhabdev , but the followers of Damodardev and Harideva did not accept Madhabdev as their leader and formed their own group ( Brahma sanghati ). Madhabdeva at
300-605: Is Bhagavat of Sankardeva , which was rendered from the Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana by Srimanta Sankardeva and other early members of the Eka Sarana school. This book is supplemented by the two books of songs for congregational singing: Kirtan Ghoxa by Sankardeva and Naam Ghoxa by Madhabdev . These books are written in the Assamese language. The sect is also called Mahapuruxiya because it
350-608: Is Nārāyana, the Supreme Reality or Parama Brahma and not merely an avatara of Visnu. Krishna is God Himself. It considers Narayana (Krishna) as both the cause as well as the effect of this creation, and asserts Narayana alone is the sole reality. From the philosophical angle, He is the Supreme Spirit (Param-Brahma). As the controller of the senses, the Yogis call him Paramatma. When connected with this world, He assumes
400-648: Is based on the worship of the Mahapurux or Mahapurush (Sanskrit: Maha : great and purusha: being), an epithet of the supreme spiritual personality in the Bhagavata and its adherents are often called Mahapuruxia , Sankari etc. In course of time, the epithet 'Mahapurux' came also to be secondarily applied to Sankardeva and Madhabdev, the principal preceptors. Non-adherence to the Hindu varna system and rejection of Vedic karma marked its character. Though often seen as
450-465: Is called Nika (clean) because it developed strict codes for purity and cleanliness in religious matters as well as in general living, as laid down by Madhabdeva. Idol worship is strictly prohibited and it gives special importance to Madhavdev. The Kala sanghati , initiated by Gopal Ata (Gopalldev of Bhavanipur) and named after the place of his headquarters Kaljar, placed its emphasis on Guru . The sattariya of this sanghati came to be considered as
500-528: Is in the form of Krishna that Narayana is usually worshiped. The description of Krishna is based on the one in Bhagavat Puran, as one who resides in Vaikuntha along with his devotees. Thus the worshipful form is different from other forms of Krishna-based religions (Radha-Krishna of Caitanya, Gopi-Krishna of Vallabhacharya, Rukmini-Krishna of Namadeva and Sita-Rama of Ramananda). The form of devotion
550-589: Is infused with the dasya and balya bhava in the works of Sankardev and Madhabdev. Madhura bhava , so prevalent in the other religions, is singularly absent here. The cari vastu or the Four Principles defined this religious system are: Sankardev defined the first, second and fourth of these, whereas Madhavdev introduced the third while at Belaguri when he accepted Sankardev as the guru for himself and for all others who accepted his faith. The four principles are revealed and their meaning explained at
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#1732783048500600-597: Is one of the eight classical dance forms in India . The name satra originates in the Bhagavata Purana in Sanskrit ( sattra ), and is used in the sense of an assembly of devotees. During Sankardev's lifetime, the devotees assembled in the open, under trees. Though temporary prayer houses were built, the tradition of devotees living in the premises did not happen during Sankardev's lifetime. The first mention of
650-552: Is placed containing the main object of worship (usually a copy of the Bhagavat Purana in manuscript or an idol). The namghar is surrounded by four straight rows of huts, called hati , in which monks ( bhakats ) reside. The adhikara and other high officers of the Satra reside in the eastern hatis . All structures were originally temporary, made with wood, bamboo and covered over with thatch; brick and mortar found use after
700-549: Is the act of creation, by which Narayana created everything. Unlike in Gaudiya Vaishnavism it claims no distinction between Brahman, Paramatman and Bhagavat, which are considered in Ekasarana as just different appellations applied to the same supreme reality. Even though Narayana is sometimes used synonymously with Vishnu, the gods Vishnu , Brahma and Shiva are considered of lower divinity. Narayana as
750-558: The Ekasarana tradition of Vaishnavism , largely found in the Indian state of Assam and neighboring regions. Numbering in the hundreds, these centers are generally independent of each other and under the control of individual adhikara (or satradhikar ), though they can be grouped into four different Sanghati (orders). These centers, in the minimum, maintain a prayer house ( Namghar , or Kirtan-ghar ), initiate lay people into
800-569: The Kala sanghati sect of the Ekasarana dharma . He established the sattra near the Moamari lake in Majuli . He quickly gathered a large following, and the followers developed such rigid principles that they would not bow to anyone or anything except their guru, the sattradhikar (abbot) of the sattra (monastery). Aniruddhadev was followed by his son, Krishnanandadev, as the abbot during whose time
850-743: The Ekasarana tradition and include them as disciples of the satra from whom taxes and other religious duties are extracted. The Neo-Vaishnavite satra culture started in the 16th century. They grew rapidly in the 17th century and patronage extended to them by first the Koch kingdom and later the Ahom kingdom was crucial in the spread of the Ekasarana religion. Many of the larger Satras house hundreds of celibate and non-celibate bhakat (monks), hold vast lands and are repositories of religious and cultural relics and artifacts. The satra extend control over their lay disciples via village namghar . Satra in which
900-544: The Nikasamhati was established by Mathuradasa and Padma Ata , both of whom were disciples of Madhavdeva . It strictly conformed to the teaching of Madhavdeva and being a purist group placed more important on ascentism, Kamalabari Satra, Barpeta Satra and Madhupur Satra are the three centers of this samhati. The last of the samhati, the Kalasamhati concerned with the tribal and lowercaste societies, represented
950-556: The Purusasamhati . This samhati practiced the original features of Sankardev teachings and therefore considered to be the main sect. The head priest was chosen either from a Kayastha or a Brahmin family. The term purusa is claimed to be derived from the honorific title Mahapurusa, usually applied to Sankardev. Bardowa satra founded by Sankardev remained the most popular satra of the Purusasamhati. The next samhati,
1000-618: The hati is found in the context of the Patbausi Satra of Damodardev. Madhavdev built the Barpeta Satra , and laid down the system of daily prayer service and initiated the system of religious tithes . Vamsigopaldev was instrumental in establishing Satras in eastern Assam. The last quarter of the 16th century saw the satras divide into four different sects (also called samhati )—Brahmasamhati, Purusasamhati, Nikasamhati, Kalasamhati. These four sects were firmly established by
1050-676: The 18th century, while suffering two major setbacks — Moamoria rebellion and Burmese invasion of Assam . Some of the cultural programmes, which are held in Sattras: Ekasarana Dharma Traditional Ekasarana Dharma ( lit. ' Shelter-in-One religion ' ) is a neo-Vaishnavite religion propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century in the Indian state of Assam . It reduced focus on Vedic ritualism and focuses on devotion ( bhakti ) to Krishna in
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#17327830485001100-486: The 18th century. Monks , called bhakats , live in satras under a satradhikar or Mahanta . In some orders of the religion, the bhakats are celibate ( kewalia bhakat ). The satradhikar may not always be of high birth, it is recorded in many instance the satradikars belonging to tribal or lower caste origin. For example, Mathuradasa Ata, the first satradhikar of Barpeta was from the Candal community, Narayanadasa Ata,
1150-531: The Ahom king Prataap Singha subjugated the Baro-Bhuyans in the north bank of Brahmaputra and moved them to the south bank. Krishnanandadev, being a Bhuyan, too moved and established his seat at Khutiapota, near present-day Jorhat . Here he was able to convert even more, including many Ahom nobles. The Moamoarias were also called mataks . One theory suggests that this name was given by the Ahom king, Prataap Singha , on account of their strict adherence to
1200-674: The Brahma-sanghati, reject apostolic lineage from Sankardev due to an early schism with the order. Some modern reformation institutions conduct xoron-lowa outside the sattra institution. Institutions propagating Eka Sarana like sattra (monasteries) and village Namghar (prayer houses), had profound influence in the evolution of the social makeup of Assam. The artistic creations emanating from this movement led to engendering of new forms of literature, music ( Borgeets or songs celestial), theatre ( Ankia Naat ) and dance ( Sattriya dance ). The central religious text of this sect
1250-582: The Chutias. The Matak identity solidified during the rebellion, and the Moamorias referred to themselves as Mataks over their original ethnic identities. In a treaty with the Ahom kingdom in 1805, the Moamorias were able to set up an autonomous region, the Matak Rajya , under the office of Borsenapati, with his seat at Bengmara (modern-day Tinsukia ). The Matak community continued to hold strong till
1300-610: The Ekasarana religion focused mainly on the religious practice of bhakti and kept away from systematically expounding philosophical positions. Nevertheless, references found scattered in the voluminous works of Sankardeva and Madhavdeva indicate that their theosophical positions are rooted in the Bhagavata Purana with a strong Advaita influence via its commentary Bhavartha-dipika by Sridhar Swami. Nevertheless, Sankardeva's interpretation of these texts were seen at once to be "original and new". Scholars hold that these texts are not followed in-toto and deviations are often seen in
1350-650: The Satras have been challenged by reform movements, most notably under the Sankar Sangha . The Satras coordinate some of their activities via the Asam Satra Mahasabha, an umbrella organization of all the Satras. According to the Mahasabha's count on its website there is altogether a total of 862 Satras including the satras present in both the states of Assam and West Bengal. The Satra is generally
1400-468: The Satras, enabling them to establish themselves on sound economics, make themselves attractive to the lay people, and spread the Ekasarana religion. The 17th century saw the rapid growth of the Eksarana Dharma in upper Assam and Majuli became a focal point of Satra tradition and authority. The number of Satras grew during this period, 125 Satras built in the 17th century and 85 Satras built in
1450-769: The beginning of the 20th century, and the Matak-Moran Sanmilan was formed in 1937; but the Morans formed their own organization, the Moran Sabha , in 1965 with the hope that the Moran people might benefit from the 5th Schedule of the Indian Constitution . The sattra was established by Aniruddhadev , whose mother was a cousin to Sankardev , sometime after 1601. Aniruddhadev was the disciple of Gopaldev (Gopal Ata of Bhawanipur) who had initiated
1500-522: The early 17th century. Damodaradeva (a Brahmin disciple of Sankardev) formed the Brahmasamhati , which represented the Brahmanical practices and ritualism. It brought back the caste system to its original form but still adhered to the teachings of namadharma of Sankardev. The followers of this sect called themselves Damodariyas (meaning: followers of Damodaradeva ) and the satradhikar
1550-406: The existence of other gods, it asserts that Narayana alone is worshipful and the others are strictly excluded. Following the Bhagavata Purana , the object of devotion in Ekasarana is Krishna , who is the supreme entity himself. All other deities are subservient to Him. Brahman, Vishnu and Krishna are fundamentally one. Krishna is alone the supreme worshipful in the system. Sankaradeva's Krishna
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1600-514: The form of congregational listening ( shravan ) and singing his name and deeds ( kirtan ). The simple and accessible religion attracted both Hindu and non-Hindu populations into its egalitarian fold. The neophytes continue to be inducted into the faith via an initiation ceremony called xoron-lowa (literally: take-shelter), usually conducted by Sattradhikars , heads of monastic institutions called Sattras , who generally draw apostolic lineage from Sankardev. Some Sattradhikars, especially those from
1650-540: The jiva is restored to its natural state ( maya is removed). Though other Vaishnavites (Ramanuja, Nimbarka, Vallabha, Caitanya) recognise only videhamukti ( mukti after death), the Ekasarana preceptors have recognised, in addition, jivanmukti ( mukti during lifetime). Among the five different kinds of videhamukti , the Ekasarana rejects the Sayujya form of mukti , where the complete absorption in God deprives jiva of
1700-576: The main groups that had supported the Ahom kingdom came to owe allegiance to the Moamara sattra: Morans (the mainstay of the Ahom militia), the Sonowal Kacharis (gold-washers), Chutias (expert archers and matchlockmen), professional castes such as Hiras (potters), Tantis (weavers), Kaibartas , and Ahom nobles and officers. The largest group among the Mataks were the Morans, followed by
1750-400: The middle of the 17th century to propagate neo Vaishnavism. Sankaradeva is said to have established his first Satra at Bordowa , his birthplace, and then in different places of Assam. Through initially the satras were started as a part of the egalitarian movement of Eksarana Dharma, they later turned into a place of orthodoxy. From the early 20th century, the authority and orthodoxy of
1800-665: The monotheism of Ekasarana dharma (in Assamese : mat : opinion, ek : single). In an incident narrated in some Buranjis , Prataap Singha tested the fanaticism of his own high nobles and officers, who were disciples of the Moamara Sattra, by making them ride their horses against naked swords held at the level of their necks. A noble, the Guimela Sola Borgohain and an officer, the Neog-Phukan, lost their lives since they refused to bow down and ride under
1850-509: The most prominent among the six sudra satra of the Kalasamhati and revolted against Ahom kingdom during the latter part of the 18th century. The first three samhati — Brahmasamhati , Purusasamhati , Nikasamhati brought back the caste rules and Brahmanical rituals, while the Kalasamhati rejected caste rules and idol worship in its entirety. The Ahom kingdom initially resisted the ingress of religious preceptors it finally endorsed
1900-438: The name of Bhagavanta. Moreover, some of the characteristics usually reserved for the impersonal God in other philosophies are attributed to Narayana with reinterpretations. The embodied self, called jiva or jivatma is identical to Narayana. It is shrouded by maya and thus suffers from misery, When the ego ( ahamkara ) is destroyed, the jiva can perceive himself as Brahma. The jiva attains mukti (liberation) when
1950-418: The offshoots of six sudra satra and six brahmana satra formed by Gopala Ata and his followers during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The Mayamara satra and Dihing Satra, the two most important of the sudra satras admitted various local tribes into its fold — Kacharis, Kaibartas , Chutiyas , Morans , Ahoms etc. The Mayamara satra formed by Aniruddhadev (a disciple of Gopala Ata) later became
2000-530: The other sanghatis are allowed in this sanghati . Brahmins too found this sanghati attractive and most of the Sattras of this sanghati have traditionally had Brahmin sattradhikars . Among the cari vastus , Deva is emphasised, worship of the images of the deva (Vishnu and the chief incarnations, Krishna and Rama) are allowed. Among the gurus Damodardev is paramount. Later on they came to call themselves Damodariya after Damodardev. The Purush sanghati
2050-470: The personal and worshipful god is considered to be a loving and lovable god, who possesses auspicious attributes that attract devotees. He is non-dual, omnipotent and omniscient; creator, sustainer, and destroyer of all. He also possesses moral qualities like karunamaya (compassionate), dinabandhu (friend of the lowly), bhakta-vatsala (beloved of devotees) and patit-pavana (redeemer of sinners) that make him attractive to devotees. Though it does not deny
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2100-484: The physical embodiment of Deva , and the disciples of this sect are not allowed to pay obeisance to anyone else. This sect was successful in initiating many tribal and socially backward groups into the Mahapuruxia fold, and it had the largest following among the different sanghatis . The Dihing sattra, one of the large sattra's received royal patronage; but the largest sattra, Moamara, forged an independent path and
2150-527: The principal preceptors lived, or which preserve some of their relics are also called thaan . Another satra was established by king Samudrapal at a place known as Yogihati in the same period (1232 CE) as evident from a stone inscription found in Ambari . The neo-Vaishnavite satras were established by Assamese Vaishnavite monasteries for religious practices at the initiative of the Ahom Kings of Assam in
2200-416: The sweetness and bliss associated with bhakti . Bhakti is thus not a means to mukti but an end to itself, and this is strongly emphasised in Ekasarana writings—Madhavdeva begins his Namaghosha with an obeisance to devotees who do not prefer mukti . Narayana often manifests through avatars , and Krishna is considered as the most perfect one who is not a partial manifestation but Narayana himself. It
2250-629: The sword, at which point the test was stopped. Another possible explanation is that the Maran people acquired that name because of their valour (in Ahom language : ma : courage, tak tested) which then transferred to the Moamorias in general; the cognate Tai-language speaking Singpho and Khamti people described the people of the Barsenapati too as matak (strong) against the weaker mulungs (the weak royalists). Satra (Ekasarana Dharma) Satra are institutional centers associated with
2300-625: The time of his death did not name a successor. After his death three leaders formed their own denominations: Bhabanipuria Gopal Ata ( Kaal sanghati ), Purushuttom Thakur Ata, a grandson of Sankardev ( Purusa sanghati ) and Mathuradas Burhagopal Ata ( Nika Sanghati ). They differ mostly in the emphasis of the cari vastus (four fundamental principles) The Brahma sanghati developed as a result of Damodardev and Haridev moving away from Sankardev's successor Madhabdev's leadership. Over time this sanghati brought back some elements of Brahminical orthodoxy. The vedic rituals which are generally prohibited in
2350-529: The time of initiation ( xonron-lowa ). The single most important religious text is the Bhagavata , especially the Book X ( Daxama ). This work was transcreated from the original Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana to Assamese in the 15th and 16th centuries by ten different individuals, but chiefly by Srimanta Sankardev who rendered as many as ten Cantos (complete and partial) of this holy text. Three other works find
2400-554: The writings especially when the original philosophical contents came into conflict with the primary focus of bhakti as enunciated in the Ekasarana-dharma. Though Ekasarana acknowledges the impersonal ( nirguna ) god, it identifies the personal ( saguna ) one as worshipful which it identifies in the Bhagavad-Puranic Narayana . The sole aspect that distinguishes the personal from the impersonal one
2450-624: Was chosen from a Brahmin family. It had close relationship with the Koches and the Koch king Nara Narayan was initiated into the Vaishnava order by Damodaradeva. Auniati satra, Dakhinpat Satra , Garamur satra and Kurawabahi satra became the most influential of the Brahmasamhati and received royal patronage from the Ahom kings . Caturbhuja Thakur, one of the grandson of Sankardev headed
2500-425: Was initiated by the grandsons of Sankardeva—Purushottam Thakur and Chaturbhuj Thakur—after the death of Madhavdev. The emphasis is on Naam . Sankardeva has a special position among the hierarchy of Gurus . Some Brahminical rites as well as the worship of images is tolerated to some extent. This sanghati was initiated by Badala Padma Ata , Mathuradas and Kesava Ata. The emphasis is on sat-sanga . This sanghati
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