JORHAT, Oct 28: The Bengenauti Xatra at Majuli struggling for survival against impending catastrophe due to erosion has decided not to celebrate Raax this year.
The monastic head– Xatradhikar Bhabananda Deva Goswami told this correspondent over telephone that severe cash crunch and worries about where and when to shift the xatra if the necessity arose precluded a mood of celebration.
Prior to this one or two occasions, the xatra had not celebrated Raax– one of the most celebrated festivals on Majuli, for the same reason.
The Bengenauti Xatra which has already shifted three times due to severe erosion is once again imperilled by the Brahmaputra which is now flowing about 400 metres away and is moving closer to two xatras– Bengenauti and Bhogpur– at Jengraimukh on the island every year.
During the monsoons, huge chunks of land are gobbled up by the marauding river and the Brahmaputra Board entrusted with protecting the island from erosion has totally failed to contain the menace at Jengraimukh.
Though Sri Bhabananda Deva Goswami had informed the Government of the problem and sought an alternative land where it could shift, there has been no response to this request till date.
“We do not have the means nor the land to shift on our own and spending money on festivities, however, important they may be for the people here, seems to be a frivolous expenditure”, Sri Goswami said.
“We will of course hold some sort of function on the day”, he further said.
A couple of months ago, the Bengenauti Xatra had sought divine help by offering puja to the Brahmaputra on the occasion of Janmashtami– Lord Krishna’s birthday.
Raax celebrates the divine love between Krishna and his consort Radha and almost all the extant xatras– around 21 out of 66– enact portions of the life and love of Lord Krishna on Raax, which falls on November 2 this year. The celebrations and merry making by the largely Vaishnavaite population and even the dominant Mising tribe usually continue for three to four days. THE SENTINEL
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