The sacred complex of Billeswar Devalaya (study)
by Rajesh Kakati | 2019 | 72,486 words
This essay studies the sacred complex of Billeswar Devalaya by exploring the historical, cultural, and religious significance of this ancient shrine in Assam (northeastern India). It emphasizes how this temple, also known as Billbeshwar Devaloy, functions as a focal point of faith and tradition for the surrounding communities. The research further ...
Part 3.6 - The performance of Putla (puppetry)
[Full title: Performing Arts under the auspices of the Devalaya (6) Putla (puppetry)]
Putla or Putla-Nach is an Assamese colloquial word for puppetry. Once upon a time Billeswar Devalaya Complex had witnessed regular Putla Nach during the various celebrations, when there was a dearth of other modern performances. The basic theme of this performance was the epic stories, which were scripted into artistic actions by animating the puppets, handled with the dexterous hands of the artists behind the screens. It was one of the most popular forms of performing arts in the complex of Billeswar Devalaya. With the passage of time it is considered to be almost defunct art form. But still the form is prevalent due to the effort of a team led by Shri Bijay Sarma who is a contractual employee of BSNL belonging to village Gandhiya. Originally it was a place wherein flowers were grown for supplying to Billeswar Devalaya.