Priyanka Saharia

Majuli, 30 Jan

Amidst the mighty Brahmaputra lies Majuli, the world’s largest river island, steeped in history, beauty, and the teachings of 15th-16th century Vaishnavite gurus Srimanta Sankardev and Sri Sri Madhavdev. This serene island hosts the Mongeet event, in unique two-horned buffalo-shaped cultural hub, ‘Dekasang’. This iconic venue is where the ‘Mongeet’ festival an extraordinary celebration of art and music takes place.

Mongeet, which translates to ‘Soul Music,’ began six years ago through the vision of actor-director-turned-entrepreneur, Kaushik Nath and renowned Bollywood actor Adil Hussain, both hailing from Assam. The duo saw the need to revive and preserve Assam’s rich musical legacy, epitomised by creators like Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha and Dr Bhupen Hazarika, who brought Assamese music to global recognition and to maintain the sacred legacy of timeless ‘Borgeets’, the spiritual songs created by the Guru Sakardeva and Guru Madhavdeva in the 15th-16th centuries.

“We wanted to create a platform for young artists to hone their craft while staying rooted in meaningful and soulful music,” Kaushik Nath told Salar News. “Artists can submit their compositions, and the best are selected to receive training from distinguished mentors like actor Adil Hussain, music producer Dhrubajyoti Phukan, singer Papon, singer & composer Joi Barua, guitarist Kalyan Baruah, and music composer Anurag Saikia and many more.

For Kaushik, Mongeet is deeply personal. He founded the Raul Kaushik Foundation in honour of his son, who tragically passed away in 2018 while saving another boy from drowning. “My son loved music, and through this initiative, I want to give back to my motherland,” he said.

Adil Hussain calls Mongeet ‘a dream come true’
“When we grew up, we lacked access to great mentors,” Adil Hussain told Salar News. This is a unique pedagogical platform in where painters, sculptors, and musicians are taught together under one roof. Through Mongeet, we aim to nourish these creative minds and help them remain true to their art, unaffected by societal pressures or fleeting trends. We want to encourage them to focus on their inner voice and not get distracted by superficial metrics of likes and views.”

International collaboration and events

This year, Mongeet collaborated with the Lithuanian Embassy, inviting renowned watercolor artist Egle Lipaikeita. The festival began on 10 January with ‘Montulika’ and ‘Monmrittika’, events focused on art and sculpture, drawing 46 participants from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. On 14 January, the music training sessions commenced, led by luminaries such as Upen Chandra Borbayan, Joi Barua, Dutch tablist Heiko Dijker, singer Saswati Phukan, and others. In 2023, renowned Baul singer Parvathy Baul also performed at the event.

Fostering the next generation of artists

“This initiative bridges the gap between young talent and seasoned professionals,” Joi Barua told Salar News. “It’s a learning curve for both sides—a space where ideas and experiences flow freely. For us mentors, it’s a chance to stay connected to the ground reality and understand the evolving mindset of contemporary Assam. For the participants, it’s an opportunity to learn from those who’ve navigated the challenges of an artistic journey.”

While answering one-on-one questions from participants, Kaushik Nath recalled Papon emphasising how Mongeet provides young artists with unprecedented access to legends. "When I started my career, it took me a decade to meet National Film Award-winning musician Dhrubajyoti Phukan. Here, participants can interact closely with such stalwarts from day one. It’s an incredible blessing" said Papon.

Over the past six years, Mongeet has cultivated a community of exceptional talent, inspiring a new generation of Assamese artists to dream big while honouring their cultural roots.