About Me
Greetings, I am Krishna Saikia, also known as Krishna Jadumoni Barbayan, a proud torchbearer of Assam’s vibrant Sattriya Dance, Music, and Art traditions. My journey into this esteemed realm began at the tender age of 5 when I was initiated into the revered Uttar Kamalabari Satra, a bastion of cultural heritage in the Vaishnavite tradition.
Born into a family deeply entrenched in Sattriya music and dance, I inherited a rich legacy under the guidance of my father, the esteemed Barbayan, Chandra Nath Saikia, from Assam’s Lakhimpur district.
My pursuit of mastery in Sattriya arts led me to train under distinguished Gurus in various disciplines including Nrittya, Gayan, Bayan, Ankiya Bhaona, and Ojha. Over the years, I have had the privilege to showcase my dedication and talent on both national and international platforms, captivating audiences with my performances.
Alongside my artistic endeavors, I pursued academic excellence, earning a Master’s degree in Cultural Studies from Assam’s prestigious Central University Tezpur. This academic journey has deepened my understanding of the cultural fabric in which Sattriya arts flourish.
My qualifications speak to my commitment and proficiency in Sattriya arts:
- M.A. in Cultural Studies from Central University Tezpur.
- B. Music in Sattriya Dance from Asom Satra Mahasobha.
My professional achievements include titles such as Natua (Dancer), BarBayan (Masters in Khol & Nritya), and Actor (Traditional Drama), conferred by the esteemed Uttar Kamalabari Satra.
With a blend of artistic prowess and scholarly depth, I am dedicated to enriching and promoting the cultural heritage of Assam through my multifaceted contributions to Sattriya arts.
Here are some of the mentors who have provided me with training in the following areas.
- Nrittya: Late Adhyapak Tuniram Barbayan, Adhyapak Dr. Bhabananda Barbayan ( Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar Awardee), Adhyapak Mohikanta Barbayan, Adhyapak Bhaben Barbayan(Sangeet Natak Academy Awardee), Adhyapak Gobind Kalita Bayan, Adhyapak Haricharan Bhuyan Barbayan (Sangeet Natak Academy Awardee)
- Gayan: Late Adhyapak Nandiram Bargayan
- Bayan: Adyapak Nandeswar Barbayan, Dr. Bhabananda Barbayan
- Ankia Bhaona: Adhyapak Dr. Bhabananda Barbayan, Adhyapak Mohikanta Barbayan, Adhyapak Bhaben Barbayan
- Ojha: Padmashree Gopiram Bargayan Burhabhakat, Adhyapak Dr. Bhabananda Barbayan and Adhyapak Mohikanta Barbayan
- Naam Logua: Adhyapak Nandeswar Barbayan
My Cultural Journey
I have had the privilege of performing extensively and conducting workshops both in India and internationally. Sharing the rich heritage of Sattriya dance and culture with diverse audiences has been a profoundly enriching experience.
Over the years, I have conducted numerous workshops at esteemed institutions. In 2009, I began teaching at Rupkowar Sangit Mahavidyalaya in Tezpur, followed by a workshop at Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha Sangit Mahavidyalaya in 2010. The following year, I conducted sessions at Jyoti Kalakendra in Tezpur, organized by KIPA. In 2012, I continued my journey at Jyoti Bharati, also in Tezpur.
In 2013, I extended my teachings to Bhakati Dowar HS School and Sarai Sapori Milan Jyoti Sangha in Majuli, both organized by Abakash Majuli. The year 2014 saw me at Sankari Kala Kendra Melachakar in Sivasagar. In February 2015, I led workshops at Sattriya Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in Lakhimpur. July of that year took me back to Tezpur for a workshop organized by Saptaswa and the Tezpur Anchalik Sanskritik Samaj, and I also conducted a Sattriya dance workshop at Jorhat Teok Dagaon.
December 2016 brought a Bhaona workshop at Golaghat Akamolual Gaon. In January 2017, I was at Srijani Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in Tezpur. July 2017 involved a Sattriya dance workshop at Nagaon Nanoi Mahavidyalaya, organized by Arihana and sponsored by Safura. From April to May 2018, I had the opportunity to conduct Sattriya dance workshops across six venues in the USA—including Drexel University and the Delaware Museum of Art—as an assistant teacher with Adhyapak Dr. Bhabananda Barbayan. These workshops were organized by the Sattriya Dance Company and sponsored by Pew. In July 2019, I conducted a month-long Sattriya Dance and Ankia Bhaona workshop and production at Duliajan, organized by Pathar and Nrityadhara.
My performances have spanned both international and national platforms. Internationally, in 2003, I performed “Ramvijoy” at the International Conference on “Ramayana: Its Impact on Life and Culture” held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakhetra in Guwahati. In 2004, I performed “Keligopal” and was featured in a documentary directed by Mr. John Paul Davidson for the BBC London. The year 2007 saw me in the French documentary film “Dans Les Drumes De Majuli,” directed by Emmanuelle Petit.
In 2008, I performed at several prestigious festivals in France, including Festival Les Orientales in Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Festival De Musique Sacrée at Abbaye De Sylvanès, Festival Aures Revages in Uzès, Festival International De Folklore in Issoire, and Festival Interfolk in Le Puy-en-Velay. That same year, I also participated in the Festival Orientals in Évora, Portugal. In 2010, I performed at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris.
June and July of 2014 took me to China for the Festival of “India in China,” where I performed across various cities. In February 2015, I was part of the International Art Festival in Bhutan. The year 2016 included performances at the British Museum and Somerset House in London, the latter as part of the Utopia Festival. I also conducted workshops and performances at Bury Court Opera and The Sage Gateshead in Newcastle.
In July 2017, I participated in a workshop and production titled “Whispers” at the Babuji Memorial Ashram in Chennai, organized by UNIVER-SCENE Théâtre de l’Épi d’Or. April 2018 saw performances at the Library of Congress American Folklife Center in Washington D.C., the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the World Music Institute at Symphony Space on Broadway in New York. I also performed at Drexel University’s Mandell Theater and the Delaware Museum of Art’s The Queen in Wilmington. In November 2018, I was part of Kalaa Utsavam – Festival of Indian Arts at Esplanade: Theatres on the Bay in Singapore, organized by the Singapore Government.
Nationally, my journey began in 2000 with a dance performance at the Spring Festival held at the National Museum in Kolkata. In 2001, I performed Gayan-Bayan at the Nrittyotsav Festival of Young Dancers organized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and at Harbour Hall in Mumbai, courtesy of the Assam Association. The following year included performances at the Brahadesh Sangit Mahotsav and the “Nritya Parva” festival in Guwahati.
Over the years, I have been part of numerous festivals and events, such as the Purbanga Nritya Parva in Dibrugarh in 2007 and the “Purvottary Festival” in Delhi in 2009, organized by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. In 2013, I performed at the Kurukshetra Geeta Festival organized by the North Zone Cultural Centre. The International Art Festival in Delhi in 2014 and the National Art Festival at Banaras Hindu University in 2015 were also significant milestones.
In 2016, I performed “Keligopal” Ankia Bhaona at Meghdoot Bhawan in Delhi, organized by the Sattriya Kendra in Guwahati. The following year, I performed at the District Library in Karimganj, organized by the Sattriya Kendra of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. In 2018, I participated in several award ceremonies and performed “Dhanya Toho Srimanta Sankara,” a dance drama about the life of the great saint Srimanta Sankaradeva.
In 2019, I performed at the Sarngadeva Samaroh in Aurangabad, organized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. November 2021 saw a performance at the Deepotsav Festival in Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi, organized by the Uttar Pradesh Government. Most recently, in March 2022, I performed at the “Amrit Swaraj” festival celebrating 75 years of India’s independence, organized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi at Somnath in Gujarat.
In August 2024, I was one of the team that performed for the National School of Drama, as part of the Ankia Nat Bhaona performance by the students, under the tutelage of Dr. Bhabananda Barbayan.
Through these experiences, I have endeavored to spread the essence of Sattriya dance and Assamese culture to audiences worldwide. Each performance and workshop has been a step in my ongoing journey to celebrate and preserve our rich artistic heritage.
The initiative is led by Babita Baruah, a veteran in the world of marketing and communications and Krishna Jadumoni Saikia, a creative and culture consultant and an exponent of performance arts from the rich heritage of Uttar Kamalabari Satra, Majuli, Assam. There are a panel of culture experts from dance to painting to organisation culture and creativity. CultureKonnect conducts workshops in organisations, as well as personal consultations. This includes inspirational sessions for organisational culture designed as a bespoke framework basis the need. The mode of engagement is audio visual as well as live demonstrations of performance arts and team building. These workshops are rich and engaging, with cultural learning activities that fuels creativity and team building.
© 2025 Krishna. All rights reserved