For the first time, Sri Lanka hosted the Janmotsav of Mahapurush Sri Sri Madhabdev, marking the 536th birth anniversary of the revered Assamese saint.
Organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural wing of the High Commission of India in Colombo, the event highlighted the promotion of Assamese devotional traditions on an international stage.
A key moment of the celebration was the debut performance of a Bargeet by Sri Sri Madhabdev in Sinhala.
The hymn, “Otho re Otho Bapu Gopal He,” originally composed in Brajawali, was translated into Sinhala by Prof. Upul Ranjith Hewawitanagamage and performed by noted Sri Lankan vocalist Asith Attapattu.
Prof. Ankuran Dutta, the SVCC Director and First Secretary of the High Commission of India, rendered the original Brajawali version and directed the musical presentation.
The performance featured instrumentalists Pamalka Manujith Karunanayake (Charengi and Esraj), Dinanjana Madusanka (Flute), and Milinda Tennakoon (Sitar).
The event also included an academic discourse by Prof. Gamini Ranasinghe of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, who elaborated on the Namghar tradition and the spiritual heritage of Srimanta Sankardev and Sri Sri Madhabdev.
Additionally, Sanjeewani Widyaratna, Education Officer at the National Museum of Sri Lanka, shared insights from her experiences with the Sattra culture of Majuli, emphasising its rich heritage and cultural significance.
This celebration follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Sri Lanka, during which Bargeets translated into Sinhala were showcased under the direction of Prof. Dutta.
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The initiative marks a significant step in India-Sri Lanka cultural exchange, fostering a deeper connection through shared spiritual traditions.
The Janmotsav commemorated the legacy of Sri Sri Madhabdev while symbolizing a broader cultural dialogue and spiritual unity between the two nations.
Recordings of the Bargeets are now accessible on the ICCR Sri Lanka YouTube channel.
