Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva

About the Book:

Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva is a research-based biography of the great polymath from medieval India, Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449-1568 AD). The saint litterateur founded a new Vaishnavite order named Eka Sarana Nama Dharma. This order preached devotion to a single God, Lord Krishna. But at the same time, the saint made massive contribution to literature and culture too. He was the first playwright in all modern Indian languages. He was the creator of Sattriya dance, Bargeet and Ankiya plays. He reformed the then society and redeemed the people from numerous regressive practices like sacrifice of living beings before deity. He gave up his royal status and came down to the level of common people. Consequently, he and his followers had to undergo many hardships in life.

Srimanta Sankaradeva created a social institution named Than (later known as Sattra), which was built around the worshipping place called Kirtanghar, having unique architectural features. It became a social enterprise, which integrated the heterogenous ethnic groups of Brahmaputra valley. That is why the saint is called father of Assamese people. He was a pioneer of adult education too, his Than (Sattra) being centres of learning. In the present book, Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti has presented a lucid narrative of the eventful life of the polymath. The author has derived the exact time of different events in the saint’s life.

About the Author:

A keen researcher of medieval hagiographies, Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti has authored biography of Srimanta Sankaradeva in both English and Assamese. He has translated lyrics of Bargeet and Gunamala authored by Srimanta Sankaradeva and Namghosha authored by Madhavadeva to English. He has written an English novel named The Redeemer based on the life of Srimanta Sankaradeva. He has authored more than sixty books on education, culture, development issues, literary criticism, philosophy etc. He has analysed Srimanta Sankaradeva’s philosophy too.

Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Chicago, California, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Boston, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Emory, North Carolina, Texas, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Washington, Illinois, Yale, Michigan, Toronto, Heidelberg etc have preserved Dr Borkakoti’s books in their libraries. He has also delivered lectures in different universities.

Dr Borkakoti has used online platforms widely for discussions of Srimanta Sankaradeva’s contributions. He is President of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva, an organization engaged in promotion of Srimanta Sankaradeva’s legacy. He is an expert member of International Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage. He has been conferred Sankari Sahitya Sanskriti Award by Jorhat Sahitya Sabha for his works on literature and culture. His personal blog is www.borkakoti.blogspot.in His website is www.drsanjib.net