COSTUMES AND Makeup products OF SHANKARIAN THEATER. Deepak Bhuyan. Sri Shankardeva of Assam, which lived in the 15th-16th centuries, will be the Indian cultural mentor, best saint of this country. This individual spent his life inside bringing before his men and women the ideals of a good living conceived on the background regarding Krishna culture. The discussion of costumes and cosmetics regarding his theater is one of the most important factor of Assamese culture. The outfits of Shankarian theater has been altering tremendously in course of moment. It is not an easy task to make a obvious picture of costumes which were used in times of Shankardeva, because of non-availability associated with detailed snapshot. However penetrating through some scattered information of GURU CHARIT, Dr.Kaliram Medhi, Medical professional Birinchi Kr. Boruah, Dr. Bani Kanta Kakoty, and in the doctorate thesis of Dr.Maheswar Neog and Dr.S.N.Sarma sketched the Shankarian theater costumes in their writings and research documents. Presumptions through various historical data of socio-political aspects are countable in this connection. Assamese miniature paintings are also the way to obtain getting vibrant touch using the Shankarian theater costumes. With a view to detail the subject the next ramifications has been made for ease. 1.Historical background. 2 Costumes and cosmetics used in time of Shankardeva. 3. Costume and also cosmetics used in present some time and. 4.The variance involving tradition. 1.Historical qualifications. Peoples are accustomed making use of their native apparels from time immemorial. No ethnic groups are located to be worn others apparels forsaking their own, which they have been using through many generations. However some varieties of changes are noticed in this field. The imitations of garments from others and making a new look of the imitated garments are common factors, generally observed in the past and present period. Hence the convergence and divergences are the reality of the concerned subject. The apparels focus the racial characteristics of concerned national groups or nations. Consequently because of the identity and preservation of tradition every cultural group or nation applied their own native apparels inside their art and culture as being a valuable asset. The customary apparels are also a sound element of culture. Depending on the mentioned utterance of the subject it is easy to assume that the native apparels were used in the Shankarian theater from its beginnings. It must be stated here the native apparels of earlier period of Assam [1250 AD to 1600 Advertising ] as well as its adjacent areas were of high priced and gorgeous look. A fascinating and inspiring elaboration on this subject matter can be given from the documents of Dr. Birinchi Kumar Boruah. Dr.Boruah as part of his book -A Cultural History of Assam- authored about the fabrics of Assam that - -- muga silk worm indicates its peculiar connection with Assam, : - The mejankari (muga ) silk will be reported by Hamilton, constituted the dress in the higher ranks most of that being dyed red together with lack. True silk, the present day Assamese white Pat Silk is termed patta and is the product of Bombyx textor along with Bombyx croesi which feed on mulberry trees. --- -- Stitched cloth was also manufactured, : -- the biography of Shankardeva describes a scroll of material named Vrindabaniya kapor wherein the weavers associated with Tantikusi ( near Barpeta ) with coloured yarns had woven the various scenes from the early life of Sri Krishna. The gown of the people as reveled in the statues of the period consisted of one particular unstitched undergarment like the present day dhoti. This is worn wrapped round the midsection, and hardly reached beneath the knee. It was kept tight at the waist by way of a girdle consisting of three or more bands fastened together by means of a knot in the centre, just below the navel. Sometimes one end in the garment was allowed to suspend in graceful folds right in front. -- - Women too have the symptoms of worn two garments, the top of and the lower. The lower outfits descended from the stomach for the ankles and was mounted by means of Navibandha . Now their gown comprises of three garments namely, mekhela, riha and chelleng. The mekhela is a form of petticoat in the form of an elongated sack available at both ends. It is donned by adjusting it possibly above the breast or across the waist. When adjusted round the waist the mekhela reaches for the ankles. The riha is a kind of decorated scarf which is wrapped round the waist. Over the riha is placed a kind of shawl known as the chelleng. -- -- The Ahom master and the dignitaries used to wear paguri ( head outfit ). 2. Costumes and cosmetics used in time of Shankardeva. From the over statement it is proved that this garments of Assamese people were within adorable position in the early duration of Assam. According to some scriptural data it is known that master Bhagadatta took part in the Kurukhetra battle wearing dhoti and other garments which were made from Muga. Mulberry silk and muga silk had been available since the ancient some time to the weavers of Shankarian period has been of sound skill which can be proved from the instance of Vrindabani bastra. The particular costumes of Shankarian Theater were made from the indigenously available textiles according to the required designs. The dying of the fabrics have also been another striking feature regarding Assamese garments making art, which has sound historical base. In the long elaboration of historical back ground it really is found that the native clothes were abundant to be used pertaining to theatrical purpose and the possibilities of using extraneous garments are completely exterminated. The cosmetics and painting materials of stage ended up generally vermilion ( hengul ), yellow arsenic ( haital ), indigo, chalk ( dhal ), brown ochre ( gereu ), light black, collyrium and mica. Female characters put vermilion marks on their forefront heads and a lavish splash of collyrium on the eye lashes. Your said cosmetics and portray materials, and other colour extracted from fruits and plants were used as make up materials regarding Shankarian theater. 3.Costume and cosmetics used in present period. Dr. Maheswar Neog mentioned in his writings that much change has taken devote the style of dress in the course of the last four centuries. According to his statement the Sutradhara is actually invariably dressed in white garment and it has two types of head costume: turban ( pag, paguri ), either with upright sides ( thiya-kaniya ), elliptical from bird's attention view and slightly sticking out at the front end, as seen in Kamala bari Sattra or in the style , called Muglai cap , looking like the head-gear of the Mughul emperors, while using back end protruding, or the go dress of some of the male Kathak dancers. - - usually Sutradharas use ready-made paguris of cloth. Your later type is most frequently seen in the miniatures in previous Assamese illuminated manuscripts. The Sutradhara puts with a thin coat coming down to the waist ( phatua ) without collar, using or without long fleshlight sleeves and with fastening or button-hole design below the arm hole, and a skirt ( ghuri ) with quite broad bottom ends coming down to the ankle , resembling a lot the immensely full dress of Kathak dancer known as ghagara. A thin or thick waistline band with hanging strings of pearl like beads and a white neck-lace or garland comprehensive his costume. The nobleman and warriors are known by their gaudy Dress-up costume. The coloured waist-coat studded with glistening glass or mica, a frilled skirt ( ghuri with several frills) , decreasing to the knee only and also a sort of tight pyjamas or a dhoti tightly wound round the legs. During the last half century, these roles have been using rich, velvet layers coming down to the knees or below them and similar jeans, coming down to a little beneath the knees and clothes. These meterials are generally imported externally of Assam. Modern cosmetics are used for make-up and painting, which cover your entire get up of modern theater. Four.The variance of convention. Everyone will be of same opinion that the utmost deviation of tradition is seen in the garments of Shankarian Theater. Because it's known from various resources that the garments which were employed in time of Shankardeva was purely indigenous with sublime antique. These days the garments ( costumes) found in Shankarian theater has distorted the glory of our tradition. These types of distortions have been done through the use of so called royal dresses of Bengali format. At the really outset of this writing it had been mentioned that the identity of your sect or any nation can be had through its garments. Since the garments focus the ethnic characteristics of concerned racial groups or nations. Just because of the identification and availability of tradition every national group or nation have owned their own native apparels within their art and culture. Otherwise these will be rootless and drop its identity . As an instance the standard theatrical performances and costumes regarding Indian native people can be described. Kathakoli, ---- ----- ---- all performances are the types of the said subject. In the event of Shankarian dance ( Sattriya Dance ) the outfit has been approved unanimously which has saved us from the unusual atmosphere. So the perfection regarding garments to be used for Shankarian theatre should be made as early as possible. This kind of urgent and unavoidable pious task is to be done through the study of each of our miniature paintings of Sanshi Pator Puthi (Manuscripts published and painted on the start barking of the tree Aquilaria agallocha ). For this purpose the subsequent manuscripts can be taken - One particular.Ananda lahari, completed during the reign involving Ahom king Shiva Singha(1720 - 1722 AD.) Only two.Gita govinda, during the reign of Ahom king Rudra Singha ( 1695 - 1713 AD ). The little paintings of the manuscript is the mix of Satriya and imported Muslim style. 3.The manuscripts survived from the period of King Shiva Singha we,e, a) Sankhasur Badh.( 1726 ) b) Uma harana.(1730 ) h) Hastividyarnava (1734 ). d) Sastha Skandha Bhagawata(1734) e) Dharma Puran (1735). Chitra Bhagawat etc. The study of various other works such as stone, bronze and terracotta associated with medieval origine are also countable in this respect. Substantial possibilities of making magnificent Shankarian movie theater costumes designs from the little paintings of the said manuscripts along with other sanchi pator puthi available in various sattras of Assam may not be denied. A unique outcome in the interests of our traditional culture along with guarding the root of national manifestations can be expected through this process. The actual present-day costumes of Shankarian theater nonetheless bears no resemblance towards the costume depicted in mentioned manuscripts. That's the proof of our deviation of traditional cultural traditions. All the miniature paintings associated with Assam which are available today are mixture of Mughal, Mongolian and Sattriya art. It is seen in the linguistic and other cultural aspects too. The Turban of Sutradhara is the burning example of the design