|
In the land of the burning sun: Assam’s Satras to get electricity
The ancient Vaishnavite monasteries that have gone without power till recently are going to be lit up with solar energy
Ratnadip Choudhury
Guwahati
 |
|
The entrance of Uttar Kamalabari Satra in Majuli
Photo: Luit Chaliha |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Niranjan is a young bhakat (disciple) in Uttar Kamalabari Satra in Assam’s Majuli Island, one of the biggest human-habituated river islands in the world. Satras, Vaishnavite monasteries, which came into being during the times of the Ahom kings, have been the cradle of Assam’s ancient culture of worshiping through dance and theatre forms—the Ankiya Nat and Bhaona. Young disciples of Satras like Niranjan have travelled across the globe performing Sattriyya dance, which has now transformed into a performing art apart from a way of worshipping Lord Krishna.
Apart from mastering the Sattriyya dance form that requires regular practice, Niranjan and his fellow bhakats have learnt the skill of going about life for hours on end without electricity. “Our Satra and almost all other Satras in Majuli and elsewhere in Assam have electricity connection but power hardly stays. In Majuli you hardly get constant power for even one hour. We are used to simple life and even can do without power but at times we need power at night to conduct special sessions of Nat and Bhaona for foreign tourists. Some Satras have put in inverters and we do not want big generator as they kill the tranquility of the surroundings of a Satra,” says Niranjan.
Niranjan, however, has some good news to give. The Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC) have designed a green power project that will light up the Satras with solar energy. “We have designed the project and would finalise everything soon. It will be a very low cost project with 90 percent of the installation cost being borne by ASTEC; the beneficiary will have to bear only 10 percent of the cost. Since the Satras have power connectivity, this can serve as alternate source of power for them and may get popular in the area,” explains Haresh Chandra Dutta, Director, ASTEC. In all likelihood, ASTEC will launch the pilot project in Majuli and slowly cover all the 300 plus Satras in Assam. The solar power units will generate one to ten kilowatt of power. The Northeastern Council (NEC) might be roped in to finance the project, ASTEC sources added.
The hope for solar power comes at a time when Majuli had already started to prepare for a possible visit of a high power team from the World Heritage Centre in France in September that will conduct a spot assessment of India’s claim to declare Majuli as a world heritage site. During the visit, the team is expected to go around all the existing Satras in the river island. The possibility of introducing solar power being an add-on.
“We are not aware of such a decision but I am sure all Satras will welcome this move and cooperate. In any case, for decades, the Satras have practiced simple ways of life, the premises are clean, there is no pollution and we are up for any new concept that is eco-friendly. In Majuli, the Satras have a special role; if we use solar power, the villagers will also be encouraged to do so,” says Janardhan Deb Goswami, the Satradhikar (head of the monastery) of Uttar Kamalabari Satra.
Earlier, all the Satras were located in Majuli, but for three decades of sustained land erosion in the river island, the Satras had to be shifted. They are now scattered in Sivasagar, Jorhat and Nagaon district. Some that are in Majuli also have branches in other districts. More than 30 Satras are functioning from Majuli, which is awaiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Many villages in Upper Majuli, dominated by the Mishing tribe, still live without power supply. The introduction of solar power generation unit in the river island could also encourage them to opt for the low-cost power of the Sun.
Cut off from mainland Assam, in Majuli life is full of hardship. “If they introduce solar panels in remote villages, it will be very beneficial, they should implement a renewable energy project for entire Majuli,” says Rajen Pegu, a teacher from Jengraimukh. At one point of time Majuli hardly got four hours of power a day, but now things have improved. In a day, on an average, Majuli gets about 10 -12 hours of power, but some villages are still meant to burn the midnight oil for days to come.
Ratnadip Choudhury is a Principal Correspondent with Tehelka.
ratnadip@tehelka.com
|
