Gorima Hazarika

🪔 About

Gorima Hazarika was a renowned Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and guru, celebrated for her significant contributions to Sattriya, Odissi, and Kathak dance forms. Born on April 27, 1939, in Guwahati, Assam, to Lokbandhu Dr. Bhubaneshwar Barua and Indraprabha Barua, she began her dance training at a very young age. She completed her BA from Handique Girls College, Guwahati, in 1961. Hazarika received her training in Sattriya from stalwarts like Raseswar Saikia Borbayan and Ghanakanta Bora. She also honed her Kathak skills at Delhi's Kathak Kendra under Pandit Charu Bordoloi and learned Odissi from gurus Surendranath Jena and Muralidhar Majhi, becoming the first person to establish Odissi in Assam. A pioneer in the male-dominated world of Sattriya dance, Gorima Hazarika played a crucial role in systematizing the form for female dancers. She is credited with designing the distinctive silk 'mekhela sador' costumes for Sattriya recitals and worked tirelessly with Pt. Dr. Maheswar Neog to bring Sattriya to a global audience. In 1982, she founded the Mitali Kala Kendra in Guwahati, an institution dedicated to imparting training in Sattriya and Odissi dance. Beyond her classical dance career, Hazarika was also a prolific choreographer, scriptwriter, designer, and painter. She served as a dance director for approximately 16 Assamese films, making her debut with 'Srimoti Mohimamoyi'. Her notable dance dramas include 'Chetona', 'Mukti Sangram', and 'The Story of the Golden Butterfly'. Gorima Hazarika passed away in Guwahati on August 5, 2022, at the age of 83. Awards & Honours: All Assam Music College Competition, Assam Silpi Divas Award (1976), Assam Natya Sanmilan Award (1996), Best Dance Director, Assam Nritya Samiti Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006).