Assam's 'Bhaona' given Pornographic Avatar, Netizens in Uproar

Sivasagar, February 13, 2020:

At a time when the language, culture, and identity of the Assamese people are considered to be under threat due to the amendment of the Citizenship (Act), a hybrid version of the Assamese bhaona has emerged online.

The video, reportedly shot in Sivasagar district of Assam, that shows a shocking depiction of Lord Shiva in a traditional bhaona-like performance, has gained notoriety for its abject "insult" to the norms of Assamese drama culture.

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With onlookers looking on, one of the actors, assaying the role of 'destroyer' Shiva goes on to remove his loincloth and makes wild gesticulations thrusting forth the lower portion of his body akin to the Thriller-era Michael Jackson. Then, the Shiva thrusts forward his whole body before breaking into a highly-sexualized version of the Nataraja dance of the destroyer of worlds. A woman, the other character on stage, cowers like an abla naari (helpless woman) while the actor playing Shiva, chases her around the stage.

Astoundingly, the onlookers watching this shocking rendition of bhaona were sitting in silent admiration of this shocking and vulgar display.

This performance is all the more shocking as Assamese dramaculture is marked by a sobriety and decency where sexual subjects are rather insinuated instead of being blatantly displayed.

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Bonosmi Bora, an advocate based in Guwahati city, reacting to this absurd bhaona, says, "Firstly, this is an insult to saint-reformer Srimanta Sankarder, the founder of Assamese culture. At a time when men and women from foreign lands are attracted to Assamese culture, the identity of Assam has been imperiled by such cheap displays. Bhaona is an academic art form and involves intense study and

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