Devoted to Xattriya
Prateesha, a devoted classical dancer  of Assam is an inspiration and a message for all Xattriya performers to follow her lead.

Rini Kakati

She is Prateesha — a beautiful ambitious and devoted classical dancer of Assam. Married with two children She is currently residing in lovely Mumbai. Her selfless hard work paid when she eventually landed at London’s Heathrow airport with a group of Gayan Bayan Bhakat on 8 November, 2005. Her mission completed when she gave a scintillating performance of Xattriya at the prestigious Nehru Centre in London — cultural wing of Govt. of India.

The item “Rangacharan” performed by her with the help of Gayan Bayan for the first time. For the first time the Bhakats of the Xattra have agreed to perform with a women on stage. Prateesha Suresh commits herself to the cause of       “Xattriya”. She was born in Assam. She started her first steps in dance with Xattriya as a three-year-old and she also played as a chid artist in the Assamese film Devi. However her passion for classical dance led her to Rukmini Devi’s prestigious institute “kalakshetra”. She received training in Bharatnatyam.

For the past fifteen years, Prateesha has devoted herself to mastering the subtle nuances of  this ancient dance form. In her efforts to recvive Xattriya and the phillosophy of Shankaradeva. Prateesha has given lecture demonstration and performed in prestigious Dance Festivals across India. She also took part in Edinburgh festival summer, 2005. Prateesha has been working closely with Shri Haricharan Bhuyan Barbayan, one of the chief Gurus and Shri Kamalakanta Bhuyan Barbayan of Natun Kamalabari Xattra, Majuli. This Xattra is one of the few xattras where the tradition of dance has been kept alive. In her ongoing study in the music for Xattriya she has found able support from Shri Diganta Das and Shri Bhupen Rajbongshi as the vocalist and flautist respectively.

To propogate and popularise the Xattriya art Prateesha has brought the Bhaona (Drama) troupe from the Natun Kamalabari Xattra to the stages of Bangalore. Prateesha has worked not only in the compositions but also in the costume and stage presentations. Her effort to use dhoti, turban, kanchi, ansol, mukut and pearl beads has been to bring forth centuries old tradition to stage.

The High Commissioner of India including several ministers of foreign affairs, Govt of India were also present. Her performance was greeted with a standing ovation from the selected audience present. Prateesha Suresh is the pride of Assam. Many Xattriya dancer has performed and gone. But none of them were able to promote these Bhakats to the outside world — as Prateesha has done. She is an inspiration and a message for all our Xattriya performer to follow her lead.

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