Neo-Vaishnavite Movement: Cultural and Religious Renaissance and its Impact on the Assamese Society

The Neo-Vaishnavite movement emerged as a distinct religious tradition in Assam under the aegis of the saint-scholar Srimanta Sankardeva. Neo-Vaishnavism or the ‘Eka-Sarana-Naam- Dharma’ was propagated in Assam in the 15th and 16th century as a part of a pan-Indian Bhakti movement which challenged the orthodox religious practices of the time. In this context, this paper will try to historically trace the evolution and growth of the neo-vaishnavite sect in Assam and its role in bringing a socio-cultural and religious revolution in the region. The main research objective is to sociologically analyse the role played by religious institutions of Namghar and Sattra in shaping the social values of Assamese people and how these perform as centres of art, culture and folk traditions. The paper will attempt to locate neo-vaishnavism in the formation of a collective solidarity and a social order and religious system based on an Assamese identity which cuts across caste, class, ethnicity and faith. It will also look at the impact of Brahmanical ideology in the neo-Vaishnava faith after the death of Sankardeva and its further division into four sub-sects based on differences in beliefs and methods of worship. The methodology adopted for this study mostly revolves around qualitative methods using secondary data collection including books, journals, research articles and archival resources. The paper is significant because it explores Neo-Vaishnavism as a living tradition in Assam and examines how Hinduism in Assam is practiced and performed differently from its manifestations in mainland India.