Madhabdev Kalakshetra: 14 years elapsed, project yet to see the light of the day

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Believe it or not, the State government did lay the foundation stone of the Madhabdev Kalakshetra way back on March 13, 2007, but the project is yet to see the light of the day.

The project is underway at Narayanpur in the Lakhimpur district, the birthplace (Leteku Pukhuri) of Mahapurush Madhabdev.

Sri Sri Badala Padma Ata Xatra, set up by Sri Sri Badala Padma Ata way back in 1636 at Narayanpur, donated 42 bighas of land for Madhabdev Kalakshetra. Fourteen years have already elapsed, but the Kalakshetra is not yet complete. On the eve of the tithi of Mahapurush Madhabdev, the Deka Xatradhikar (youth Xatradhikar) and bhakats (devotees) of Sri Sri Badala Padma Ata Xatra reminded the State government of completing the project at the earliest.

Talking to The Sentinel, Deka Xatradhikar of Sri Sri Badala Padma Ata Xatra Dipjyoti Mahanta said, "In 2007, the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi laid the foundation stone of Madhabdev Kalakshetra at Narayanpur. We did donate 42 bighas of land of our Xatra for the purpose. After that land donation, we are left with only five bigha and 3 lessas of land. However, the project is yet to see the light of the day even after 14 years. The unburnished truth is that the then Congress government did not pay importance to the project. We are sad about the delay in the project.

"Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma paid a visit to our Xatra recently. He assured us of completing the Kalakshetra within a year. We request him to take the project on a priority basis.

"The Kalakshetra will have kirtanghars, residential quarters (bohas) for devotees (bhakats), a museum depicting Madhabdev's works, parks etc. We have old utensils and many other collections of ancient times like swords in our xatra. We also have some books (puthis) written by Srimanta Sankardev. We will preserve them in the museum.

"We have noticed some deviations from the Xatriya culture in the construction of the residential quarters (bohas) of bhakats. That needs some rectification."

Rupram Saikia Burha Bhakat of the Xatra said, "In 2007, former Xatradhikar Sri Srikanta Dev Goswami decided to donate 42 bighas of xatra land to the proposed Madhabdev Kalakshetra. He bore a wish to see the Kalakshetra in his lifetime. The sad part of the episode is that the Xatradhikar breathed his last in 2020. We request the government to complete the project without further delay."

The construction of the Kalakshetra is going on under the State PWD.

Meanwhile, a three-day programme has been underway since Wednesday in the Xatra on the occasion of the tithi of Madhavdev. The programme will conclude on Friday.

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