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“Kortal” for the Ecoversity Alliance

The video is a dramatisation about the musical instrument Kortal from the state of Assam in India. It starts with a fictional story about the origins and then gets into the construction of Kortal. The video contains glimpses of folk culture and Neo-Vaishnavite culture in the form of devotional songs, references to history. This format has been chosen so that the video can evoke widespread interest in the community where it is intended to be distributed. Kortal is made of a piece of bamboo about half cubit long bifurcated and levelled. It is played by placing it in the palm in accompanying devotional music. Amongst the different classification of musical instruments, the Kortal can be called an Audiophone

“Kortal” was possible thanks to the support of the Ecoversities Alliance 2020 Publication, Film and Multimedia Initiative.

“Xutuli” for the Ecoversity Alliance

A dramatisation about the musical instrument Xutuli from the state of Assam in India.

The video starts with the probable story about the origins and then gets into the construction of different kinds of Xutuli. We also illustrate the science behind its musical tunes. This format has been chosen so that the video can evoke widespread interest in the community it is intended to be distributed. From the shape and sound of Xutuli, it can be deduced that this instrument imitates birds. It is made of sticky soil. In Assamese culture during the festival of Bohag Bihu, Xutuli has an importance of its own.
Initially, the cowherding boys (Gorokhiya lora) used Xutuli as a toy, because of ease of construction. Xutuli is played by both boys and girls in Bihu, but most importantly Xutuli is an indispensable part of Jeng Bihu and Bihuwati dances, and predominantly played by girls. The Karbi community calls it Torlit and it is made in the imitation of the sound of the cicada to invoke rain. The Karbi young boys play the Torlit to amuse in their slash-and-burn cultivation. The Rabha community calls it Gugubela or Gugumela and is made of sticky soil in hemispherical shape. It is played by cowherds in leisure time of cultivation.

“Xutuli” was possible thanks to the support of the Ecoversities Alliance 2020 Publication, Film and Multimedia Initiative.

 

Bhumi Annual Celebrations

It’s been a year since we started Bhumi. Though most of this year went without any activities. But once we resumed classes in November we saw how much our students wanted to learn. So we decided to gather today and share the learnings, celebrate, and NOI kids also performed. Bhumi Centre is in a beautiful village in Golaghat and we had such a beautiful day of warmth with our Bhumi community. We were gifted a khul for our work there. Touched and look forward to another year at Bhumi Centre

 

 

Yes!! by Bhumisuta Das (NOI Studio)

This was the second event of NOI Studio. The event was a beautiful drama called “Yes!” and was performed by the graduate Bhumisuta Das of Rashtriya Drama School.